Peter Rhodes on a national treasure, a nice turn of phrase and the case for a bigger Army

“If you take defeat well, it's probably time to put the cue in the rack.” Eddie Jones, reflecting on being asked to stay on as England head rugby coach. Lovely turn of phrase.

Thanks for your many comments on expiry dates for medical equipment, prompted by my item about being issued, as a TA recruit in 1976, with an army shell dressing dated 1944. Searching through my old kit at the weekend, it seemed that in the 1970s little had changed since the days of Brown Bess and pikestaffs. I found another item I was issued with. It is a cotton envelope containing a patch of battledress khaki, several buttons, six safety pins, two balls of wool and a packet of sewing needles made by Guillaume & Sons of Alcester. It is dated 1955.