OFFICIAL Commando News Magazine Edition 15 2023

APPENDIX II
CLOTHING
During training as little clothing as possible, to allow
the maximum of sun tanning, has been worn. For night
work ‘giggle suits’ the Australian military fatigue
uniform or khaki drill, and naval boiler salts of navyblue
drill have been used.
For land work on moonlit or starlit nights khaki is the
best, but for dark nights on land and for canoe work
navy blue or black should be worn. All exposed parts
of the body should be blackened with burnt cork or
boot polish or something similar, for all conditions of
night work. Trouser legs should be tucked into socks to
avoid brushing against twigs etc.
In cold weather during training blue mittens or
gloves and blue wool balaclava maps soot a lot of
unpleasant blackening of the face and hands but are
too hot at other times.
Black canoes and black clothed mend show
distinctly against a sandy landing beach even on a
black night. This is unavoidable. Black must be the
colour of the canoe and of the dress, and so to avoid
discovery, the choice of a suitable landing-place must
be very careful.
Oars should always be taken to land from a canoe
in bare or stockinged feet, keeping the sand shoes dry
for stalking. Wet ones will squelch faintly for a long
time after treading in water. Landing barefoot on oyster
covered or barnacled rocks is unpleasant. Thick
woollen socks protect the feet quite appreciably, and
do not squelch later if wrung out.
When stalking on land drill clothing will make a faint
sound audible at times about 15 feet away when
scratched by twigs and stiff grasses, when working the
body over the ground or through bushes, however
carefully it in done. The only really silent dress is a pair
of sand shoes and socks and nothing else. The naked
body makes none of the noises of clothing. A pair of
bathing shorts makes very little and adds comfort to
the wearer. Walking should never be barefoot. in "X’
Camp bare feet are the usual order of the day in the
camp area to toughen them up for an existence in
which the nearest approximation to ‘going native' will
be the best camouflage. But so much depends on
complete silence in stalking. The intake of breath that
follows a stubbed toe or a thorn in the heel is enough
to betray one's whereabouts.
For the operation navy Japara cotton suits of
pyjama type, with breast pockets and A pyjama string
around the jacket waist as well as round the trouser
top, are being taken. A similar suit, but waterproofed,
is also being taken as 3 light oilskins. This latter suit is
an excellent windproof garment. For day wear on the
voyage sarongs and coolie trousers will be worn.
COMMANDO FOR LIFE
COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 15 I 2023 35