When I was just a tad, in the late 30s and early 40s, what we called "creamed dried beef on toast" was a great favorite at our house. Salty, salty, salty! I learned later that some called it "Shit on a shingle".

Fast forward to the 50s, in the army. What the mess cooks (adjective accurately assigned) produced, in army language "shit on a shingle", was not the same. It was merely ground beef in a white sauce on bread, or maybe toast, and had essentially no flavor, salty or otherwise. Not really BAD, but not good either.

Dave Oesterreich