OBDURATE KITCHENER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20481, 5 February 1930, Page 12

OBDURATE KITCHENER.

USE OF THE STEEL HELMET.

FORTY MINUTES' VAIN TALK

flow l<oi'd Kitchener in muitl to linvo tho id on of steel helmets for British soldiers during tho war is (old L>y (Joloiiol Buckles Willbon in Ilia hook "From Quubeu to Piccadilly." Colonel Willson, who served with tho Canadian Expeditionary Force, writes:— .In wy dinry I note that upon ono occasion (October 26, 1917) I lunched with Sir Arthur Slogyctt, Director ol Medical Services. Ho showed mo tho ve.ry first British helmet, which ho himself had been tho moans of introducing. Ho said Mint ut tho outset lie wont to Kitchener und earnestly advocated its adoption. Ho talked for nearly 40 minutes as eloquently nud earnestly as lie ever did in his lifo. At tho end of tho harangue Kitchener, who had never moved, took out his watch and said, slowly: "Sloggett, do you know you havo%!eu talking nonsense for 40 minutes." Sloggett told mo that lie packet! up his helmet and went " away without a word. "1 saw it was hopoiess, lie said. , Steel helmets were subsequently worn as a protection by men of all ranks in the British Anny when serving in tho line.