But this is also the same Army that considered fresh bread as unsuitable for the troops, so they set it out for a day before using. Considered more healthy that way?? But I also understand that officers got fresh, I guess they could handle the "unhealthy" fresh bread.
Back to water, in French Foreign Legion, when on the march, they were supposed to wear the canteen with the belt gear over the canteen straps, so they couldn't easily drink between rest breaks. May have had more to do with conserving water in the desert than anything else, though.