The worst thing was when them at staff level decided to see how the spares system worked.
We were having problems with our C70s (radio-relay) at 1 Div (Verden). This was caused by low-lifed valves (500 hours operating time). The system was used to get them back on the air, which went summat like this:
1) Stores demand put in.
2) Eventually, someone at the Siemens factory in Erlamgen (in Bavaria) put a box of the required valves (2C39BA for the techno-freaks) into a truck which then barrelled down the Autobahn to Bremerhaven, incidentally passing by my barracks.
3) The container of bits and bobs was offloaded at Felixstowe, and loaded onto a truck/train/whatever and went off to COD Donnington (BEFORE the fire!).
4) some bored minor MoD employee sorted out the bits , put them into another container, which went off on the back of a train/truck/whatever to Marchwood.
5) container arrived in Antwerp and was transported to Emblem Camp.
6) parts sorted and eventually a container was sent to Viersen.
7) parts further sorted, and the stuff for 1 Div sent to Scheuen (nr Celle)
8) we sent a truck to Scheuen and picked up our bits.
The whole thing took 2 weeks! Not only that, they forgot my bl++dy valves!