Guards at Fairbairn RAAF Base were disgruntled and cold on this day in 1978, after spending many nights on duty shivering because they had no overcoats. They did so while the dogs on guard sat contently in their own "overcoats", well protected against Canberra's harsh winter nights.
The RAAF uniform had been changed several years prior, from a dark blue to a lighter blue, but the change had not included a new overcoat.
Advertisement
Guards who had old-issue greatcoats could wear them through the chilly nights but new men did not receive them.
Some resorted to "non-issue" gear and just hoped they would not be caught in non-uniform by a senior officer, while others managed to buy old-issue coats at disposal stores.
Some tried plastic coats "just to keep the wind and frost out".
However, none of this additional effort was required for the dogs.
Each dog had their own blanket or "coat" to wear as the guards froze.
"It's getting to the stage where one of the handlers is going to pinch his dog's coat just to keep warm and that is going to cause a whole lot of problems, especially if the dog wants it himself," an officer said.
