'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎62v] (129/294)

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Equipment
All units were constantly striving to reduce weighs in the field
and this led to many experiments. Some avoided web equipment altogether
by carrying ammunition in cotton bandoliers, but deficiencies in the
bandolier usually compelled a return to web pouches. A leather bandolier
of the mounted type or an improved pattern of coy -on bandolier, worn with
a belt to carry the bayonet, would have been- an improvement on the normal
web equipment. The sling of the cotton bandolier^ was neither strong
enough nor sufficiently firmly sewn on, and the bosoms ol the pockets
were too easily worn by the ends of the rounds. oO rounds S.A.A. per
man was the amount usually carried.
The pack was often worn as a rucksack and was conveniently carried
this way in the hills: the water bottle was packed inside it, and the
usual contents for lengthy operations included a mug 01 mess —tin, Knife,
fork, spoon, rations for 24 hours plus an emergency ration, first field
dressing and a cardigan.
Some units - notably R.A.S.C. - had no bayonets. 'The bayonet was
a handy weapon to carry when walking-out, "was required for guard duties,
and on some occasions was used in hand-to-hand melees during night
operations. It was found to interfere with M.T. drivers using a central
gear change, and it was better to remove all equipment except belt and
pouches while driving.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
The standard medical equipment of units was packed in a way suitable
to infantry on the march, but inconvenient for operations where motor
transport was widely used and battalions were distributed over a large
area. It was often necessary to re-pack medical stores to equip out
lying detachments, and it would have been better had such stores been
made up into quantities sufficient for 150 to 200 men and allotted
accordingly. In addition most detachments, such as picquets, required
morphia and shell-dressings. One stretcher 'was a useful accessory to
every M. T. vehicle which carried ten or more men.
RATIONS
The food containers and petrol cookers carried in some M. T.
vehicles were invaluable. For the rationing of small posts it would
have been a considerable advantage had such things as milk, jam,etc.
been issued in g-lb. and not 1-lb. tins. 3?o save transport such posts
were usually rationed every two days, one day's fresh and one day’s tin
ned meat being issued plus two days’ vegetables and groceries. Water
was often carried in four-gallon petrol tins, which usually needed
some form of improvised numnah covering to keep the contents cool.