2 JANUARY 1915, Page 23

OUR ARMY DRESS.

[To TON EDITOR or rue "Srsomor...] SIR,—Referring to a letter you kindly published a week or two ago, will you allow me to supplement it with some further remarks, the result of correspondence with those at the front, as to the unsuitability of our present military dress P It is a merciful thing that swords and the Sam Browne belt have been already largely discarded by our officers, for it was proved that the skilled marksmen who, with telescope sightings for their rifles, are told off to each German company to pick off both officers and men, too easily distinguish their victims at long range. My corre- spondents assure me that our khaki, which was service. able in the sunburnt East, is proved to be very conspicaoup in the green country of Flanders. The new French military dress is an improvement on our own khaki, but the blue-grey of the Germans is still found to be the most invisible. Great fault is found with the headgear of both officers and men. The flat overhanging rim of the cap gives a dark shadow seen at a great distance, and directly men turn their backs the whole of the crown of the cap so reflects the light that

it appears to be white rather than khaki colour ; whilst the lining of the cap, come kind of American cloth or enamelled leather, causes great perspiration, and as a matter of fact is torn out by the soldiers. The least visible form of cap and the most serviceable in the fighting line is, I am told, the woollen helmet rolled up in front above the brow.—I am, Sir,