Pre-War Order Not to be Reinforced A "Morning Post'' representative has been officially informed that there is no foundation for the statement that an order has been promulgated prohibiting the soldier from shaving his upper lip, or that such a step is in contemplation.
In the years immediately preceding the war the moustache was a part of the soldier's equipment. Attention used frequently to be directed to the fact that both officers and men shaved the upper lip, and the following directions to be observed by all ranks were issued:
"The hair of the head is to be kept short. The upper lip is not to be shaved, and the chin and under lip are to be shaved. Whiskers, if worn, are to be moderate length. On active service, at the discretion of the General Officer Commanding, beards may be worn."
The object of this regulation was to ensure tidiness and neatness. Long flowing hair would be inconsistent with military uniformity. The regulation as to the hair of the head and beards is still in force, but during the war the regulation prohibiting the shaving of the upper lip was relaxed, and it is said not to be the intention of the Army authorities to restore it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.