SHIELDS FOR TROOPS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 4367, 11 October 1916, Page 5

SHIELDS FOR TROOPS.

— ““ DEVICE FOR REDUCING THE CASUALITY LISTS. COTTONWOOL CTIRASSES. Since our advance in Picardy, during which most of the casualties on our side appear to have been due to machine-gun fire, there has been a good deal of correspondence in the press as to the possibility of protecting our men from the spray of bullets which play upon them when they leave the trenches to

charge. ' , , It is pretty well agreed that any - tiling in tlio shape of heavy hod.'armour is impossible, hut a promising suggestion is a shield which could be moved forward as the men advance. Such a one Air. Demetrius C. Boulger has invented, and patented. Despite the fact that, -so far, it has failed to obtain official approval, in the opinion of some who have taken part in trench_ warfare it deserves a practical t-ria-l in the field. It gives ample protection to two men in the first line and partial cover to others lving down. There is a flat through which a machine-gun can he fired in the centre, and others toi 11 Mr Boulger estimates that a hundred such shields would provide complete protection for a .double company. SOLDIERS’ NOVEL. ARATOR, Touch in*' the above invention, it is interesting to note that this most modern of wars becomes more and more mediaeval m i haractei, D > men in France arc alrendv casqucd like the bowmen at Crccy. . oon th mav be gauntleted, oil massed, anil irreaved like any gallant knight "ho rede armored to England s wars of ° Behind the old gate-way and the appropriately castellated m alls o Finsbury- Pavement m the past fc" Jays there has been an impoilant test of articles of body armor designed hv Mr. George Lynch. The novel basis of Mr. U> ncl ; " protective armor is not steel—hi t cotton wool! Large, canvas mats are filled with the wool, which is che.nfcally treated to become practical! , impenetrable hv bayonet or, bullet, and used to place on the enemy s barbed-wire entanglements, which mav then he crossed, with ease and safety. During the test a half-com-pany’ laid the matting-—the layers armed with gloves and gaiters—and safelv crossed an entanglement _ m tliirtv-one seconds. The application of the system to body protection is being studied.