THIS week 100 years ago, panic was caused at a Worcester sauce and canning factory when a gigantic food order arrived from Whitehall.

The Journal explained: "A telegram received last week at the offices of Courtenay's Worcester Sauce Syndicate at South Quay caused a flutter of excitement. It came from the War Office and instructed the company to proceed forthwith to supply 250,000 'tons' of concentrated pea soup for the troops in South Africa fighting the Boers.

''This order was to be in addition to the regular supplies of tinned foods already sent by the firm to the forces in South Africa.

"Courtenay's would have made never-despairing efforts to supply this mountain of food, representing some 4,480,000,000 two-ounce tins, but the plant manager had a merry little twinkle in his eye, and he was not surprised to find that the confirmation letter stated 250,000 'tins,' not 'tons,' which clearly made a difference!

"The firm is now supplying 120,000 tins of foodstuffs a week and, as each tin is enough for a day's ration, it can readily be calculated how much the Army in South Africa is dependent on gallant little Worcester."