On a lighter note, whilst the official dress regulations and pictures will give one idea of what a soldier might wear-the reality can be so very different: at least in the British Army.

For soldiers seem to have great propensity for aquiring the unforms of others-adapting, losing and relacing the missing item with something very different. Put mine alongside an American unit-and I'd wonder which army was on parade the next day: enemy kit just as attractive and so on.

Not that my nice chaps would have stolen anything-of course not!

Whilst after Suez, we all had Russian rifles-I wonder how that happened.

I wonder if American soldiers are that different?

Even Field Marshal Alexander so liked the German style of peaked cap, that he had his London hatters make his British uniform hats to a German model.

James