CHEST ARMOUR FOR TROOPS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21646, 6 May 1940, Page 8

CHEST ARMOUR FOR TROOPS

LONDON SURGEON’S IDEA

(Special—By Air Mall) LONDON, April 13. Chest armoor for the troops is advocated by Mr Kenneth Walker, Harley Street surgeon. He gave some details of his ideas this week between operations at a London hospital. Mr Walker, who served as captain with the R.A.M.C. in the last war, noticed the great number of men who died in the front line from chest wounds made by tiny shell splinters, some no bigger than a finger-nail. These, entering the vital area containing heart and lungs, would strike one of the great blood vessels.

Twenty-seven per cent, of men killed instantaneously died from penetration of the chest. It has also been found that nearly 60 per cent, of wounds were due to splinters. He said that the armour could be of the same material and thickness as the steel helmet, but would not be so expensive to manufacture as it would not require shaping. It would be suspended from the broad shoulder-straps of webbing on the battle-dress.