Highland Regiments footwear during the Great War

[figheadair]

I'd always assumed that British Army footwear was black until the most recent changes to the field uniform which introduced brown boots.

[McMurdo]

This old thread may help. I took a tour of the 48th Highlanders Museum here in Toronto some years ago. While the 48th is a Canadian Regiment I thought you might like to see this collection of photos

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-museum-28666/

[Bruce Scott]

From a discussion I recall on the Great War Forum, B2 brown boots were introduced in 1913 and the B5 version, also brown, later in the war. Two pairs were issued and, in some units, the second pair was blackened for parade use and walking out.

For further information it may be worthwhile asking the question on that forum, here: https://www.greatwarforum.org/




B5 Boot frpm: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30100412

[Jacques]

From a discussion I recall on the Great War Forum, B2 brown boots were introduced in 1913 and the B5 version, also brown, later in the war. Two pairs were issued and, in some units, the second pair was blackened for parade use and walking out.

For further information it may be worthwhile asking the question on that forum, here: https://www.greatwarforum.org/




B5 Boot frpm: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30100412

Thanks much. i think the forum you suggest will be of great assistance.

Jacques

[FossilHunter]

I don’t have it in front of me but the book Those Bloody Kilts mentions highland units being sent to France with brogues and spats which ended up being unsuitable to the muddy conditions in the trenches (there were problems with brogues simply being pulled off and lost in the deep mud leaving soldiers bare footed). Eventually highland units were issued the same boots, puttees, and helmets issued to their trousered counterparts both to simplify supply lines and improve effectiveness.

[Jacques]

I don’t have it in front of me but the book Those Bloody Kilts mentions highland units being sent to France with brogues and spats which ended up being unsuitable to the muddy conditions in the trenches (there were problems with brogues simply being pulled off and lost in the deep mud leaving soldiers bare footed). Eventually highland units were issued the same boots, puttees, and helmets issued to their trousered counterparts both to simplify supply lines and improve effectiveness.

Thank you FossilHunter, i too have the book and am presently going through it for the second time. Hoping this time around, i'll find the small morsel of information i seek. Either way, the book is still worth reading. But i have come to a few conclusions; Shoes issued to OR's in the highland regiments were likely polished black, boots issued to the British forces were initially brown with many being polished black for parade, smart dress, &c. Boots left in their original brown were mostly used for field/combat and merely kept clean and likely not polished (black). As an aside and further to your statement of the British Army attempting to simplify supply lines; i have read elsewhere that sometime in 1917 highland regiments began to be issued the exact same jacket/tunic as the rest of the army as replacement for worn out jackets with the cut out front. It was then left up to the individual regiments to use their own funds to have the jackets tailored. As most of these regiments were waist deep in a little fracas (or donnybrook?) called The Great War, with soldiers fighting across the Empire, most regiments chose to overlook this unsightly yet little detail until after 1918.

Your input is most welcome.

Jacques

[Bruce Scott]

. As an aside and further to your statement of the British Army attempting to simplify supply lines; i have read elsewhere that sometime in 1917 highland regiments began to be issued the exact same jacket/tunic as the rest of the army as replacement for worn out jackets with the cut out front. It was then left up to the individual regiments to use their own funds to have the jackets tailored. As most of these regiments were waist deep in a little fracas (or donnybrook?) called The Great War, with soldiers fighting across the Empire, most regiments chose to overlook this unsightly yet little detail until after 1918.

Your input is most welcome.

Jacques

As in this photo.