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"The sand and talc-like dust permeated everything and the men's faces and hair appeared to be covered by heavy make-up the colour of dirty parchment, with weeping eyes and cracked lips" [1]
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| Dust |
| THE DUST was ochre in colour and fine, like powder. When disturbed by the wind or the trampling of boots it got into everything. It was almost impossible to seal out; weapons had to be kept scrupulously clean to prevent malfunction. Machinery wore out quickly even with dust filters. Many photos of the time show rifles with their actions swathed in rags. | >> Standard military practice was to use as little oil as possible on weapons in conditions of dust or sand. However, Sergeant Berghoff from the Australian 2/10th found that smothering the moving parts of his Bren in oil was more effective in keeping the weapon operational. |
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