This Day in History: 1945-01-13

The amusing trivia of military bureaucracy continued even in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps. Shortages of clothing in Changi camp in Singapore meant that a variety of unsuitable items had been issued. According to the June 1961 Regimental Newsletter, on this day a camp order was issued stating ‘All underpants are to be forwarded to the Kit Store for repair or condemnation. If the following types are declared unserviceable they will be retained: coloured ‘glamour’ or ‘passion’ underpants; white underpants made of thin cotton; white cotton drawers with knee-length legs; gym and PT shorts of white or blue cotton; aertex cellular underpants. The Imperial Japanese Army regards the above types as Shorts Type B and not underpants’.