NCOs were, by the latter years of the war, experienced veterans. This not only meant they were better soldiers, but also meant they had better uniforms, as they would hold on to their older uniforms and equipment, knowing the new stocks would be of inferior quality. When the bottle-green collar was removed from the uniform in late 1940, several soldiers would keep the old green-collared uniforms, and some would also convert new uniforms to have the green collar.