You could be forgiven thinking that this little brush is simply for washing the dishes, and, technically, that’s what it is. This one though has a rather different pedigree which links to mountain and Arctic warfare. In the 1970s Royal Marine Commandos were sent to Northern Norway during the winter to train in Arctic warfare. Among the many items issued for the operations was this brush. Snow, in the very cold temperatures found in the far north, is usually quite dry. If any of that snow is sticking to boots or clothing when entering a warm environment (i.e. a tent) the snow melts, making them wet. Wet boots and clothing will then freeze solid when taken outside the following morning. Troops operating in the Arctic also keep their boots on inside their sleeping bags so they are ready to move quickly if required, in which case it’s best if they are dry. So, our little brush is at the very top of the washing up brush hierarchy, and may require a name change to ‘Arctic Warfare Snow Brush’.