Although graphite and hexagonal boron nitride lie at the heart of many technological applications, their accurate theoretical description using density-functional-theory-based first principles methodologies is still missing. Our recent calculations using vdW functionals appear to provide a satisfactory description of both graphite and hexagonal boron nitride yet, contrary to naive expectation, they predict very similar inter and intralayer binding energies for these two materials. To test these predictions, we request beam time on VESUVIO to perform neutron Compton scattering experiments. These data will provide robust benchmarks to assess the suitability of these new vdW functionals to describe soft layered materials. In addition, measurements on boron nitride will serve to assess current capabilities to perform mass-selective neutron spectroscopy in the intermediate range 10-20 amu.