NAAFI Pipe Tobacco

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

simong

Lifer
Oct 13, 2015
2,532
15,280
UK
Navy, Army, Air Force Institutes for those unfamiliar with the acronym. Wonder if anyone has ever had the pleasure of a tin? I have & it was rather splendid. The navy's own blend I had, which was a medium strength mixture with a very tasty rum topping. I've seen tins of the Army blend but never tried it. I'm sure the RAF boys must have had their own blend as well but I've never seen a tin so who knows? People say Player's used to make the NAAFI blends but I could swear the navy tin I had was a Gallahers product, due to the cut & packaging. Maybe someone more enlightened might like to chime in.
image.jpeg
 

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,220
Austin, TX
Hello hawky, yes the seal was fine mate. From the 70's it was.
Dodgy decade the 70's, terrible clothes but the tobacco was spot on!
Simon, you know you were rocking some bell bottoms with long hair and a pipe hanging out of your mouth in the 70’s! :LOL:

It was before my time, I was around in the 80’s though, I think the 80’s fashion was worse than 70’s and it seems like that shite is coming back around.
 

simong

Lifer
Oct 13, 2015
2,532
15,280
UK
I've seen several empty tins of this one but never imagined one'd have survived given the condition they always turn up in.

I've got my eye on this little rehydration project below. Splash of water and it'll be fresh as the day it was packed! :ROFLMAO:

View attachment 143436
108 years old.....should be good to go! ?
Did you get the tin with the Christmas card from princess Mary as well? Surprises me how many of those tins crop up, still intact!
image.jpegHere's a nice photo of a cavalryman who appears to have lost his horse. The Christmas box from princess Mary providing some consolation no doubt.
image.jpegAnother photo of a complete box. Contents were a pack of cigarettes, pouch of tobacco, photo of & a card from the princess. Outside of the tin there was also a pipe & trench lighter.
image.jpeg
 

simong

Lifer
Oct 13, 2015
2,532
15,280
UK
Simon, you know you were rocking some bell bottoms with long hair and a pipe hanging out of your mouth in the 70’s! :LOL:

It was before my time, I was around in the 80’s though, I think the 80’s fashion was worse than 70’s and it seems like that shite is coming back around.
I think that must have just been you boys in the states. Seem to remember everybody looking quite smart in the 80's over here.?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: hawky454

condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
7,995
26,613
New York
@simong : They found a whole pile of those Christmas 1914 tins complete with contents in boxes in Ireland a few years ago. I have one I used for RYO tobacco forty years ago from my Uncle Claudius and I have somewhere a couple of complete ones in storage that were bring homes. I don't think I have the pipe but I have certainly seen the trench lighter kicking around in a drawer at my Mothers house. Funny to relate but my mate at school had one of those tins from his Grandfather and we smoked a couple of the cigarettes circa 1978 - goodness they were stale and rough!
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
That's a real time capsule in itself, with so much national and cultural history. Even the NAAFI acronym is notable. The Royal family reaching out to the fighting men at war is so tenderly expressed, especially with the photograph of the princess. Quite remarkable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: timelord

timelord

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 30, 2017
949
1,966
Gallifrey
When did the NAAFI stop stocking these? My dad was in the RAF from 1936 until 1966 and although I assume he would have had NAAFI issued rations during WWII I only ever remember him smoking Players cigarettes when I was a wee lad (he smoked pretty much all his adult life and switched blends a couple times in later years).

I'm sure there were pipe smokers in the RAF, dad wasn't one of them but you usually see a pipe or two in the old films.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ettrick puffer

simong

Lifer
Oct 13, 2015
2,532
15,280
UK
When did the NAAFI stop stocking these? My dad was in the RAF from 1936 until 1966 and although I assume he would have had NAAFI issued rations during WWII I only ever remember him smoking Players cigarettes when I was a wee lad (he smoked pretty much all his adult life and switched blends a couple times in later years).
I'm sure there were pipe smokers in the RAF, dad wasn't one of them but you usually see a pipe or two in the old films.
I think the NAAFI must of stopped supplying pipe tobacco sometime in the mid 80's. My father used to get boxes of King Edwards's from his mate in the army but he couldn't get him any condor. That might just of been in here in Hereford though, wether it was still around on the larger military bases I don't know. I think @Ettrick puffer was in the 'Cake' maybe he might know more?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ettrick puffer
Jul 3, 2020
1,082
15,964
53
Scottish Borders
I think the NAAFI must of stopped supplying pipe tobacco sometime in the mid 80's. My father used to get boxes of King Edwards's from his mate in the army but he couldn't get him any condor. That might just of been in here in Hereford though, wether it was still around on the larger military bases I don't know. I think @Ettrick puffer was in the 'Cake' maybe he might know more?
@simong sorry mate I didn’t smoke back then when I was in the ‘Cake’ smoking wise I just remember folk buying snouts. I can’t recall a single pipe smoker back then in uniform. I’m pretty certain in my Grandads time he got issued either Wills or Capstan during wartime.
Happy smokes
Ettrick puffer
 
  • Like
Reactions: simong and timelord