OK, I think there is no question that time did not go back in /var/log/messages.
Actually, the messages are scrambled.
First it is Jan 25. Then it it Jan 8. We go through normal looking periods of
Jan 9 and 10, and Jan 13 before we're back on Feb 25. I don't think this can be
explained by the clock doing that - as the time spent on Jan 9, 10...13 are
quite long. It couldn't have actually been preceeded and followed by Jan 25.