Faced with the prospect of unemployment during the 1928 recession, Jessie Edmondstone joins the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes. After a month's training, she is posted to a loss-making canteen at a depot in Lancashire to work alongside the manageress, Miss Taylor, who expects her to provide drinks and suppers for the soldiers and also to undertake an arduous daily routine in the kitchen and staff quarters. Jessie has not been trained as a cook, but she is prepared to develop new skills and gradually grows in confidence. She enjoys the company of the soldiers, who appreciate her hard work and helpful attitude. Fellow Scot, Jock Craig, becomes her guardian; Private Riley's gift of the blarney appeals to her sense of humour; and Stormy, the cockney cook, is an ally against Miss Taylor's high-handedness. Jessie's reminiscences provide vivid social history and will be enjoyed by senior citizens and former members of the armed forces.