BODY ARMOUR FOR BRITISH SOLDIERS?

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 78, 28 September 1940, Page 18

BODY ARMOUR FOR BRITISH SOLDIERS?

T>BlTiSii soldiers may have bodyarmour made of bakelite, compressed fibre or similar materials — half the weight of aluminium, but with the same tensile strength—if suggestions by Mr. Kenneth Walker, Harley Street surgeon, are adopted, says the "Daily Mail." Mr. Walker's ideas, put forward at a meeting of the surgery section of the Royal Society of Medicine, have already won the approval of eminent medical men. The Royal Society's meeting, reported by the "British Medical Journal," was called to discuss the different types of wound most prevalent in modern warfare and various means of prevent-, ing them. Two resolutions were passed:— 1. That the physical protection of men in the fighting forces can and should be improved by closer collaboration between the medical profession end experts of the Admiralty, War Office, and Air Ministry. 2. That the Royal Society should create a special committee to deal with

the matter, and that the president should approach the Government with an offer of co-operation at once. Mr. Walker, who was a captain in the R.A.M.C. in the last war, has long advocated chest armour for the troops. He pointed out that the old objection to the use of body armour was that it added to the weight of the al ready overloaded soldier. This no longer held good, since the man to be protected now did not have to do the same amount of marching. He was carried by lorry, a motor-cycle, or aeroplane. Mr. Walker then produced his specimens of compressed fibre, bakelite, and other materials which, he said, had half the weight but the same strength as aluminium. Armour to protect a| man against armoui'-piercing bullets would weigh at least 201b, but these! pjastic materials would at least give protection from shrapnel. If found unsuitable for body armour such materials could be used as inner "skin" in aeroplanes and other machines, or as backing for gas-mask cases worn on the chest.

This last ruse alone would prevent many fatalities, for in the last war there were countless cases in which men had been saved from death by such things as cigarette cases and pocket-books carried over their hearts. Mr. Walker added that the German General Staff had long been interested in body armour for their men. Only recently he had received a letter from America stating that the Nazis had made three unsuccessful attempts to persuade a certain American inventor to equip their armies. Mr. Walker's chief critic was Mr. T. B. Layton, who declared that he was absolutely opposed to any addition to the weight of the British soldier's equipment. On the other hand, he was impressed by the protection offered by something in the pocket covering a vital area. If Mr. Walker could produce some kind of pocket shield weighing about 2oz he believed that it might be adopted. Mr. Walker replied that it would be possible to produce such a shield, but at present he did not wish to go into details. Another of Mr. Walker's suggestions was that airmen should be equipped with special gauntlets and possibly some kind of face shield that would protect them against fire. Bakelite, made from formaldehyde, was discovered in 1910. The modern telephone, motor-car fittings, radio cabinets, tea cups, and even gear wheels are made of bakelite.

this lonely station, they are cheerfully performing an important war service that is a vital contribution to the safety of New Zealand. Since its establishment the station has boasted a varied collection of domestic pets. A yellow budgerigar which arrived exhausted on the wings of a northerly gale has found a comfortable home there. Another pet is a black and white kitten. The kitten has an adventurous temperament and on this account has twice narrowly

escaped disaster. When flag signals are being hoisted the kitten insists on taking a hand, or rather a paw, and plays with the flags when they are being made fast to the halyard. This is all right in calm weather, but when a gale is blowing the flags whip off the deck with considerable force as the signal is hoisted. Twice the kitten had its claws fastened in a flag during hoisting, and each time it was carried partly off the deck. Had it not let go it would have been flung out over the cliff to the beach below.