Miscellany I.

This is coolbert:

"Hard in training, easy in battle!!" - - motto of the Romans!!

Here concerning the course that British Special Air Services [SAS] prospective candidates go through as part of their selection process:

"United Kingdom Special Forces Selection"

A selection process which includes:

"Combat survival and Resistance to Interrogation" (4 weeks)

Live off the land - - behind enemy lines - - pursued by the enemy in some instances - - and able to resist interrogation if captured.

I find this part of be of particular interest:

"Personnel undertake advanced survival training, escape and evasion and resistance to interrogation training. The test stage for this training phase requires the candidates to undergo an evasion exercise, dressed in greatcoats to restrict movement"

A greatcoat, also known as a watch coat, is a large overcoat typically made of wool designed for warmth and protection against the elements . . . It was popular in the 15th Century as a military uniform and casual wear for the wealthy, issued for inclement weather by most Armed Forces right up until the last quarter of the 20th Century."

Pursued by friendlies [use that term friendly advisedly!!] attempting to evade capture. Just as if enemy forces are after you! This sort of "exercise" can go on for days. You are on your own, having trained and experienced personnel "on your tail"!!

[pursuers that are part of the British Special Forces Support Group!! Analogous to the U.S. Army rangers.]

AND ALL THE WHILE, REQUIRED, REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER, TO WEAR A GREATCOAT. WEAR A RESTRICTIVE, CONFINING GARMENT, HEAVY, BUT ALLOWING FOR YOU TO SLEEP IN THE OPEN AND BE WARM. AN ALL-WOOL HEAVY COAT, REACHING BELOW YOUR KNEES, ENCUMBERING YOU AS YOU ATTEMPT TO ELUDE AND EVADE THE PURSUERS.

NOT for making your task easy. But that is the idea! To make the effort of evasion more difficult by having your wear a heavy, hot, confining, restrictive garment that impedes your movement to some degree. I guess the idea is - - if you can evade capture while wearing the greatcoat, you are capable of evasion under any circumstances??!!

coolbert.