Post War

Artifact PW2-04: Kit Inspection

Submitted by Major (Ret’d) John (Robbie) Robertson

From 1953-1958, then-Corporal John Robertson was an instructor at the Black Watch Regimental Depot in Aldershot, Nova Scotia.

In the following paragraph and diagram he describes the weekly ritual of kit inspection by the Commanding Officer.

“This is a diagram showing how our kit was to be laid out for Commanding Officer’s inspection every Saturday morning. All brass items had to be shined inside and out and our web load-carrying equipment had lots of brass buckles and end pieces. We had no bedside drawers or lockers so everything that that was not to be laid out on your bed was laid out in your barrack box in accordance with another diagram. The markings on the Brasso and boot polish tins were scraped off and the tins shined; the wood tops of the various brushes scrubbed white. The webbing itself had to be laboriously shined. Even the soles of all footwear had to be shined, and the bottoms of the white gym shoes had to be whitened. All boot and shoelaces along with all clothing items had to be pressed. Galvanized washbasins had to be glistening. There was little sleep on Friday nights getting this kit ready and the barracks ready for inspection.”