HC Deb 03 December 1906 vol 166 c573

I had to do a double take when I saw this extract from Hansard 1906. It seems they had a similar problem with gunner mess kit over a hundred years ago - and the answer was the same!

Quote: MR. HART-DAVIES (Hackney, N.) I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the unpopularity of the new mess kit of the Royal Artillery, now about to be introduced; whether he is aware that the new mess kit, though costing about two-thirds the cost of the old kit, is calculated to last only about a quarter of the time that the old kit has been found to last; and whether he will consider the advisability of reverting to the old kit, or, under any circumstances, ascertaining the views of officers of the Royal Artillery, especially of those of the junior ranks, before introducing compulsorily the new mess dress.

MR. HALDANE :There is no intention of introducing a now mess uniform for the Royal Artillery. The existing pattern was introduced in 1902, and permission was given to those officers in possession of the previous pattern to wear it until January, 1907. The statement that the new kit only lasts about a quarter of the time the old one did is not understood, as the materials are identical. Unquote.