Has anyone got an old pair of British Army issue black combat boots going spare?

[Will_]

Has anyone got an old pair of black issued combat boots going spare?
I'm being charged £51.50 for only handing in 1 pair.
They will only be going straight in the bin when they get them, but it looks like someone wants to take one last dump on me while they can.
I'm even being charged £1.35 for a pair of warm weather socks! Who are these store people?

I've seen the boots on ebay for £25 delivered, but I'm after a pair as cheap as possible - they can be trashed - as long as they're the issued boots.
I live near Fordingbridge and can collect or pay for postage if anyone further afield can help...

All the best,

Will

 

[Mick721]

What a bunch of t******. When I handed my gear back a few years ago the civvy's storeman said I could keep anything I wanted as it was going straight in the skip. What a jobsworth. Hope you get sorted.

 

[Will_]

What a bunch of t******. When I handed my gear back a few years ago the civvy's storeman said I could keep anything I wanted as it was going straight in the skip. What a jobsworth. Hope you get sorted.

It's ridiculous isn't it! And they wonder why morale is crap.
I've requested the original lists with my signature next to each item...
Good luck finding it - I was issued the boots 6 years ago by a different regiment!

 

[Will_]

It's so flipping anal. And why the hell do they have to call a sweat rag a "Rag, Sweat"? The "rag sweat" is the epitome of all that is wrong with the Army.

 

[bobnewboy]

It's so flipping anal. And why the hell do they have to call a sweat rag a "Rag, Sweat"? The "rag sweat" is the epitome of all that is wrong with the Army.

Its an old-fashioned but well intended way of indexing and cataloging items, and has been used for more than 100 years. It was very efficient in the old days of civil service before the advent of cheap computing. It was used in the Post Office and then BT when I was working there, as all possible stores items (hundreds of thousands of them) were individually listed in the "Rate Book", using that exact same approach of indexing. The indexing was done as "Main Type", "Subtype 1, "Subtype 2", etc. For example, a large, fine pointed pair of pliers were known as "Pliers, Wiring, No81". We BT bods all knew tham as "81's", and there were around 10 types of wiring pliers alone.

As far as your boots go, couldnt you just declare them as 'destroyed due to unsafe chemical impregnation'. Most companies, and perhaps even the services, are very sensitive to any kind of health & safety issues these days. I have successfully used the same approach in the past

 

[kaiAnderson]

I took all the stuff I didn't want back and kept all the good stuff. I was told I had to return it all or I would get charged but didn't hear another thing about it.

 

[SCOMAN]

I took all the stuff I didn't want back and kept all the good stuff. I was told I had to return it all or I would get charged but didn't hear another thing about it.

I had a similar experience with the threat 'we'll take it out of your final pay', never happened. Jobsworth indeed. I'd keep with your 'show me where I signed for them' they'll get bored.

 

[Retired Member southey]

What happened to the other pair? Just interested.

 

[Will_]

What happened to the other pair? Just interested.

No idea. I've only used Lowas since training. I think both pairs got lost. Moved house twice so they could have got lost...

 

[woof]

Got a pair, but I'm a bit far off for you to collect unless you want to pay postage ?

Rob

 

[Will_]

Got a pair, but I'm a bit far off for you to collect unless you want to pay postage ?

Rob

Hi Rob,
I'd be happy to pay postage and for the boots themselves if you want...
I'm waiting for a response to my request for the signed list, but if they somehow get hold of it, I'll let you know.
Thanks for your help,
Will

 

[Insel Affen]

Not sure if they can still do that. As most stuff goes straight out, they shouldn't charge. Get their version of your 1157 (as you asked for) it goes back to, if it ain't signed for, they can't charge foe it, regardless of what they think you have. I've stood at the QMs asking for kit, and they say I've not got any on issue, despite me standing there in my kit. As you know,1157s went out some time ago, so between the UNICOM and MJDI crossover, there is probably nothing on record.

What does the QM say? Is it just some civvy jobsworth storeman or military? You could always challenge it and ask to see the policy (such as QRs or JSP886). Failing that, refuse to sign, they need your permission to take your wages. What are they going to do, boot you out?

 

[woof]

Hi Rob,
I'd be happy to pay postage and for the boots themselves if you want...
I'm waiting for a response to my request for the signed list, but if they somehow get hold of it, I'll let you know.
Thanks for your help,
Will

Hi Will let me know. The last pair I posted out(last month)were £12.50 with RM. These are worn, no big deal to you I know but they are free other than p & p.

Rob

 

[Will_]

Hi Will let me know. The last pair I posted out(last month)were £12.50 with RM. These are worn, no big deal to you I know but they are free other than p & p.

Rob

Awesome - thanks Rob - I haven't heard from them since requesting the signed kit list though

Not sure if they can still do that. As most stuff goes straight out, they shouldn't charge. Get their version of your 1157 (as you asked for) it goes back to, if it ain't signed for, they can't charge foe it, regardless of what they think you have. I've stood at the QMs asking for kit, and they say I've not got any on issue, despite me standing there in my kit. As you know,1157s went out some time ago, so between the UNICOM and MJDI crossover, there is probably nothing on record.

What does the QM say? Is it just some civvy jobsworth storeman or military? You could always challenge it and ask to see the policy (such as QRs or JSP886). Failing that, refuse to sign, they need your permission to take your wages. What are they going to do, boot you out?

I haven't got any wages coming in so they can't touch that - I'm leaving the reserves (6 Rifles).
The storeman is an ex reg colour sergeant who hates the world and the TA even more.
The kit list they have is ridiculous. I handed back a load of stuff they didn't seem to have records of me having :bluThinki but some things on their list I've never received, like 3 berets! As if they issued me 3 berets!
It's when I saw the bill for a missing pair of warm weather socks that I broke though.
I told them if they want to be petty I can play the same game, and that I'd like to see my signature against each item they claim I've been issued.
Since then I haven't heard from them...

 

[Insel Affen]

Good for you! Without proof of those signatures they can do nowt!

 

[dean4442]

Ok as it's the reserves they will struggle to get anything out of you for any kit you are diffy as there won't be any pay owed to you if you've not been in for a month at least, plus it sounds like he is quoting the brand new price for boots at you when he should be using a formula which takes into account the fact that they have been used. From what I remember they shouldn't ask for anything that has touched the skin back so socks and T shirts at least you'd get to keep, other stuff may be good enough to re issue but who'd want second hand socks?
Colin

 

[tiger stacker]

Combat assault boots, have a limited sole life. If you were issued a pair six years ago, then the sole will crumble apart. Sounds like your storeman is either nrps/ftrs, colour man being a bit ott when it comes to returning kit. If you returned extra kit then he is just being a twit.

 

[Will_]

Combat assault boots, have a limited sole life. If you were issued a pair six years ago, then the sole will crumble apart. Sounds like your storeman is either nrps/ftrs, colour man being a bit ott when it comes to returning kit. If you returned extra kit then he is just being a twit.

He's definitely being OTT. I'm not sure what NRPS means... Google gives me "National Rail Passenger Survey", "Nancy Reuben Primary School" or "New Riders of the Purple Stage". He's all of these things anyway.
He can't stand me. I recall our first encounter, t'was the day my kit was to be flown out to Germany and I popped into the stores to tell him the soles on my issued boots had turned to jelly. He hit the roof! He was furious that I hadn't checked a month ago. (Fair enough now I know the soles degrade) But at the time I replied I didn't think I had to check the soles of a perfectly broken in pair of combat boots to see if they had turned into jelly. He erupted in rage he was so angry it was actually quite funny! Now he's having the last laugh by demanding the other pair of jelly boots though

 

[Insel Affen]

Combat assault boots, have a limited sole life. If you were issued a pair six years ago, then the sole will crumble apart.

I can definitely confirm (via Defence Clothing Team) that there is a shelf life of 5 years for boots. We have been caught out at the depot in Bicester with that in the recent past.