October 31, 1 9 1 4 
LAND AND WATER 
CHOOSING KIT 
Practical Hints 
(Continued from page 49) 
UNDER the heading of camp equipment comes 
such a varied list of articles that it is impossible 
to treat of them separately and fully in a single 
article on the subject of kit. Camp bedsteads 
occur to one's mind inevitably; but, except for 
the staff officer well away down on the lines of communi- 
cation, camp bedsteads are not to be thought of on active 
service, coming under the head of sybaritic luxuries for the 
man who is moving on every day from position to position 
as the line goes forward or sometimes back. The sleeping 
bag or valise is the best that can be done in this direction, 
and that, as pointed out last week, should be of substantial 
and thoroughly waterproofed material, for it is a mistake to 
try for too much lightness in choosing it. The campaigner 
should bear in mind that as regards sleeping accommodation 
one sleeping bag fulfils the purpose of two ground sheets, 
while it is also of use as a kit valise. 
Water Bottle Shapes 
A water bottle seems a small thing to talk about, but a 
word on it is worth while. A day or two ago I saw exposed 
for sale in a shop window a water bottle covered with felting 
in the usual way, and with what used to be the usual square 
edges at the bottom, though the thing was curved to fit on 
the body of the wearer, just as a metal cigarette case is 
curved. It struck me at the time that the makers of that 
pattern of water bottle must be remarkably short-sighted 
folks ; they had allowed the curve for the body, and yet had 
squared the bottom of the water bottle, so that there was 
evidently a right angle between the bottom of the bottle and 
the sides. The drawback of this becomes obvious after the 
bottle has been in use for a little time, for in order to clean 
out the angle formed by the bottom and the sides it is 
necessary to use sand or something and go in for about ten 
minutes of hard shaking if any fluid other than pure water 
has been placed in the bottle. It is just as easy and just as 
little expense in purchasing a water bottle to get one of oval 
pattern, which holds just as much as the one with squared 
edges, and is far easier to keep clean. The ideal water bottle 
is oval in form, made of aluminium, and sufficiently solid in 
build to stand lots of hard wear. Care should be taken to 
see that the felt with which it is covered is of good quality, 
for with the swing of the arms in marching or the swaying of 
the bottle in riding there is a good deal of wear on this felt, 
which acts as a non-conductor of heat and preserves the 
drink in the bottle fresh and good 
Gloves 
For winter work gloves are a necessity for campaigning. 
Some kit furnishers recommend mitts, but these are a snare 
and a delusion, since all the freedom of the fingers that can 
be obtained is required when wearing the gloves. For 
ordinary work good stout leather gloves, unlined, are to be 
preferred. Lined gloves are thoroughly warm and comfort- 
able, but they make all the difference when handling a 
weapon, either a fire-arm or any other kind, while unlined 
gloves, after the hands have grown accustomed to them, 
give practically as much freedom to the fingers as is obtained 
with the bare hands ; and the warmth of lined gloves, unless 
the weather is perfectly arctic in quality, is very little greater 
than that of unlined articles after the first ten minutes of wear. 
A very good glove for motoring and for aeroplane work was 
{Continued on page 59) 
CASTLE & CO., 
MILITARY TAILORS. 
{.EutaUUhed 1889.) 
,,vt» ^T'^^AV. 
8 
HOURS. 
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT 
STORE PRICES. 
37 PICCADILLY, LONDON, W. 
(FACING ST. JAMES'S CHURCH). 
'Phone Rageni 5624. 
BLANKETS 
g ACTIVE 
2 SERVICE 
AS Winter approaches the necessity for really 
warm coverings in the trenches is obvious. 
We are now producing Blankets on the lines of our famous 
Ulster Fleece Rugs (the eiderdown of cloth), made from pure 
high-grade wool, which gives more bodily warmth than two or 
more of many of the so-called Army Blankets. 
The size is ample. 60 by 90 inches, and the colours are 
crey. khaki, natural and dark natural. 
PRICE 
18/6 
On receipt of 1 9 6 we will forward one of them securely 
packed to any Officer of the Expeditionary Force. 
Our new Linen Hall in Regent Street, London, will he ottened on 2nd November with 
a treat Sale of Specialities. 
Robinson ^LCleaven 
156-170 Regent St., LONDON, And BELFAST 
SERVICE KITS 
— IN 48 HOURS. — 
Every detail guaranteed correct, in 
accordance with War Office regulations. 
Patterns and Estimate post free. 
A large number of half-finished Service 
Jackets always on hand, which can be 
completed in eight hours. 
INFANTRY SWORD £4 14 6 
WEST & SON, Ltd. 
ff$' Military and Sporting Tailors, 
151 NEW BOND STREET, W. 
(Opposite Conduit Street) 
"Phone — Gerrard 8161. 
HARRODS' 
GIFT BOXES 
FOR 
TROOPS AT THE FRONT 
Specially selected and appropriate "Comforts" have been 
arranged in Parcels, details of which are given below. 
These are securely packed and will be dispatched imme- 
diately to anyone serving in the Expeditionary Force, upon 
receipt of instructions. 
No fuss or bother with packing. 
You simply send your order by letter, 'phone or wire to 
Harrods, specifying Box No. 1 or Box No. 2 (or both), 
and the following goods to the value of one Sovereign are 
dispatched without delay straight to the Firing Line : — 
BOX No. 1 
ONE SOVEREIGN. 
1 lb. Chocolate (Harrods). 
3 Tins Oxo Cubes. 
2 Potted Meats. 
1 IvelcoD. 
1 Brand's Ess. Chicken. 
1 Brand's Ess. Beef. 
100 Cigarettes. Best. Flat Box. 
\ lb. Tobacco (com pressed). 
1 Packet Boracic Powder. 
1 Tube Vaseline. 
1 Tin Coffee and Milk, or 
Cocoa and Milk. 
1 Plum Cake. 
J Tin Danish Butter. 
1 Pipe. 
Bromo Toilet Paper. 
HARRODS Ltd. ( 
BOX No. 2. 
ONE SOVEREIGN. 
1 Pair Gloves. 
1 Pair Socks. 
1 Undervest. 
1 Pair Pants. 
3 Handkerchiefs. 
1 Pair Braces. 
1 Woollen Scarf. 
1 Balaclava Cap. 
The Sovereign 
covers 
cost of packing 
and postage. 
Richard Burbidec 
;), London, S.W. 
57 
