Phil and Roy,
I had the boots a few times too, and like Phil I can't remember that many hobnails in them, mainly the big round steel tip on the heel - I remember saving up for more segs/h-nails because they sometimes came out as you climbed about on places like the bombings'. Army boots (pre DMS) were a piece of cake after them. Now, recruits are allowed to use trainers for up to 6 weeks as their poor little tootsies are too delicate......what bloody army have we really got? They complain it's underequipped - it always has been - nobody wants to go to Helmand and says so...we never thought to question where we NEEDED to go nor did those who stayed longer than me - Borneo, Radfan, Oman Cyprus, or later Ulster and Falklands - and nobody had a ''flak jacket'' although a couple of BDTs were offered them- I don't begrudge life-saving equipment, if it works, the more the merrier who live the longer- it's attitudes that seem to sometimes be suspect. Given the right kit, the right oppos, mindset and orders, today's squaddie in whatever unit must logically be as good, maybe better than we were. He just needs to tell a few to shut it and remember that UK only started getting into these s88t tips when the country started to be led by people who'd never seen a bullet, let alone heard one. To such people, life is cheaper than it is to a soldier - it's never been theirs' - they're all blare no flair, sucking up to bush and balls. Well, that's my bit for the day,it's interesting where a child's charity boots can lead you, isn't it?