9000 Nosebags In Whitehall

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30919, 27 November 1965, Page 15

9000 Nosebags In Whitehall

(Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, Nov. 26.

A hoard of stores that would do credit to a regiment of militaryhistory students was uncovered in Whitehall by a select com-committee-of members of Parliament.

The storage of the items — they figure in recent surplus sales—provoked critical and cynical comment when the committee produced its report

Items included: 785 fezes and 1757 cummerbands not wanted by the King’s African Rifles; 20 dog kennels; 160,000 safety razors; 70,000 balaclava helmets; 9000 nosebags; 101,300 half-inch scaffold nuts and 159,000 long drawers.

The motto of Whitehall’s top officers could be “keep it, you never know,” but the M.Ps. knew the modern army did not need 9000 nosebags. The report suggested that the services could get rid of obsolete equipment quicker than it does now—a minimum of five years and maybe longer.

It appreciated that “there must be a strong temptation to keep articles in case they might be needed one day.” But it pointed out that storage costs could be high—up to £2 per square foot in Britain.

Reluctance to part with stores was illustrated by the case of 700 china soup tureens. They were finally sold last year, although they had been replaced with metal tureens in 1952.

The dog kennels were hauled from Royal Air Force stations all over Britain to an auction sale near Manchester, but officials of the Defence Department were be-

ginning to realise that this was “not a profitable exercise,” and were considering whether future dog kennels might be broken up or sold on the site.

Calling for more allowances to be given to servicemen, the members criticised the “paternalistic” attitude of the Army which operated on the maxim that it had an obligation “to clothe the soldier completely.” They thought this was out of date and suggested that the sapper in Hong Kong should be allowed to indulge his fancy for a pair of silk pyjamas or leopard skin briefs.