I remember our FIRST ear defending 'things' were little pink rubberised plastic thinggies that you pushed into your ears. That was 1967/8. We all had to go to the main dining hall in Malaya and the MO, another Nasho, wrote S M or L on our hand and sent us over to a table where we were given a set of these 'things' Apparently one of his medic assistant told us that our Small, Medium or Large ear canal size was reflected in our pen15 size...... It's true too as Lauri Taggarts wife told me at a boozy party later. He was issued with two pillows instead of the 'things'

Anyway, if you pushed this pink thinggy into your ear just a bit toooo far you couldn't pull the little tag to get it out. So the Armourers snipe nose pliers were always in use on the ranges. Especially with the Mortar and 3.5 rocket launcher crews as the blast - so said - would push the 'things' deeper in your ears