December 5, 1914 
LAND AND WATER 
I 
CHOOSING KIT 
Practical Hints 
(Conlinnt'ii from page 109) 
These articles are written from practical experience 
of military matters, with a view to keeping our readers 
in touch with the various requirements of active service. 
Changes of climate and the peculiar conditions under 
which the present campaign is being waged render 
different items of equipment advisable at different 
times, and we are in touch with officers at the front and 
others from whom the actual requirements of officers 
and men can be ascertained. The articles are not 
intended to advertise any particular firm or firms. 
I HAVE been warned that this is the Christmas number, 
and consequently have had various ideas on the 
subject of Christmas in the trenches, presents for the 
troops, and similar matters, rather than the more 
normal things of campaigning and accessories thereto. 
And the first thing that comes to my mind — brought to the 
front by actual experience— is cigarettes. The presence or 
absence of a good smoke, or, at least, of a smoke of some 
kind— bad or good— will make all the difference to the 
quality of tlie Christmas spent by the men in the trenches and 
on the march. 
Christmas Parcels 
Many of the givers of good things will be thinking about 
sending out smoking requisites, and reference has already 
been made in these columns to certain schemes devised that 
the men may get pipes, which cost about half a crown a 
dozen, at a cost to the sender of ninepence each, the balance 
being appropriated by the promoters of the scheme, who 
volunteer to make up parcels of tobacco, cigarettes, and 
pipes. It is not implied that all schemes for the sending out 
of parcels with as little trouble as possible to the sender are 
equally devised with a view to intermediate profit. If one 
will take the trouble to select a firm of good repute, more 
especially when tobacco and cigarettes are in question, the 
soldier will reap the benefit and the firm will be content with 
a legitimate profit on the transaction. I know of at least a 
dozen firms which make up parcels of smoking goods, and do 
the men well at a small outlay. Let it be remembered by 
the senders that it is no use sending Turkish or Egyptian 
cigarettes to the rank and file, and equally it is no use sending 
Virginia cigarettes to the majority of the officers. In the 
case of the rank and file this statement may be regarded as 
far more absolute than in the case of the officers, for some of 
these latter retain a taste for Virginia cigarettes, thougli the 
great majority prefer Turkish or Egyptian. Then, in both 
cases, the statement must be regarded as relative, for if a 
man is in such a position that a smoke is hard to come by, 
anything is welcome, and brand or origin is of no consequence 
as long as the thing will smoke. 
Hospital Requisites 
For the most part the hospitals at the base and at 
various stations on the hues of communications are so well 
fitted out— thanks to the energies of the British Red Cross 
Society, which has acted as a sort of Aladdin's lamp to the 
medical and nursing services — that there are few general 
needs, and requirements are local and so different in each 
case that no great need for all the hospitals can be specified 
— with the exception of ash-trays. These, of course, can 
hardly be reckoned under the head of ordinary hospital 
requirements, but at the same time they are needed in 
nearly every hospital. In one or two cases the nurses have 
bought them for ward use, and that at a considerable expense, 
which ought not to have fallen on these women, who are 
already doing more than the majority. Plain papier mache 
trays — or, at least, trays made of some substance which is 
easily washed and kept clean— are required. No. 13 General 
Hospital would be glad of at least 500 for ward use, and it is 
only one among a dozen or more in the same case. 
Knives 
A useful kit accessory, and one of which not much has been 
made anywhere up to the present, is a sheath knife something 
like that carried in badger-hunting, with a blade of six inches 
or more, and a guard at the end of the haft. Such a knife is 
useful in cutting up meat for cooking and in half a hundred 
vther ways. Many of these knives are made with a catch 
vhich will enable the owner to stand on his head, if he likes, 
A-ithout dislodging the knife from its sheatli, and this pattern 
should be selected, for in the various twists and turns that a 
man makes in the course of an ordinary day's work there is 
«very chance of the unfastened knife dropping out of its 
{Cuntinusd «n page l^i) ' 
Hnndkercbief prcBenta cmn be »*nt by u, to friends eti over the World. 
When they ere Robiotoo & Cleaver's tbey ere eagerly accepted. 
No. 27. Man's Handker- 
chief, in Linen Cambric, hem- 
stitched. Sizes 20J, 19J, and 19 
ins. square with i. {. and ij in. 
hems respectively. tA/l l 
Per doz. lU/11 
(Largest size, per doz. 1.1/9) 
No. 28. Man's Handker- 
chief, in Linen Cambric, with 
tape or corded borders. Usual 
size ai ins. square. 
Per doz. lU/o 
(Largest size, per doz. 12/-) 
No. 41. Man's Handker 
chief, in fine Linen, hand em- 
broidered with 1 in. monogram 
(any two-letter combination). 
About 19^ ins. square with J in. 
Per doz. 13/11 ^ 
We quote three handkerchiefs, we have others to suit all tastes and all purses. Price List and 
complete range of Patterns post free on application. 
I Khaki Handkerchiefa from llllj pe r doz. 
Robinson ^LCIeaver 
156-170 REGENT STREET, LONDON, and BELFAST 
SERVICE KITS 
—IN 48 HOURS. — 
Every detail guaranteed correct, in 
accordance wilti War Office regulations. 
Palttrns and Ealimale post free. 
A large number of half-finished Service 
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INFANTRY SWORD £4 14 6 
WEST & SON, Ltd 
Military and Sporting Tailors, 
151 NEW BOND STREET, W. 
(Opposite CoDduit Street) 
'Phone— Gerrard 8161. 
CIVIL and 
MILITARY 
TAILOR. 
C ^X(WHITE 
lO Blenheim Street 
New Bond Street.W 
CIVIL and 
MILITARY 
TAILOR. 
OFFICERS' SERVICE KIT 
Daring Ceiember 
SPECIAL omtit; 
Lounge Suits 
3H gp»- 
Of the finest quality KH7\KI, 
Correct in every detail, 
During December 
RPKCiAI, OFFBB : 
Mufti Overcoats 
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Supplied at shortest notice at the following reasonable prices: 
Service Tunic <heavy whipcord) - - from £3 3 
,. < „ Barathea) - - ,,£4 4 
Bedford Cord Breeches, strapped buckskin „ £2 10 
British Warm <lined fleece) - - - ,,£3 3 
Service Great Coat - - - - ,,£4 4 
ALL GARMENTS PERSONALLY FITTED. 
TELEPHONE - - MAYPAIR 145. 
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Military, Naval, and Mufti Jailors, 
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These ESSENTIALS- 
1. CORRECT REGULATION 
2. EXCELLENCE OF QUALITY 
3. FIRST^CLASS WORKMANSHIP 
4. PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE OF 
OFFICERS' REQUIREMENTS 
characterise all our Uniforms. 
129 
