Shoes of ammunition , also known as Boots, ankles, General Services ( BGS ), is the standard footwear for the British Army from the late 1880s, until the late 1950s. They replaced the previous ankle boots that had been in operation since the early 1800s.
The term "Ammunition shoe" comes from an unusual shoe source. They were purchased by Master Gunner and the Council of Munitions at Woolwich (Artillery Regiment headquarters) rather than the Horse Guard (headquarters of the British Army). They are usually manufactured in factories on site, but civilian producers are contracted to produce them during times of increased demand.
Shoes of ammunition are ankle-boots that are not striped with leather straps, iron heel plate and toe-plate, and iron-studded soles. The vamps (fronts) and quarters (sides) are often made of contrasting skin types compared to the case toe (foot cap) and counter (heel cap), made of "pebble" skin and others of fine leather. They are designed to be hard and durable rather than comfortable. The studded soles of the spikes made a loud noise as the wearer lined up, giving them the nickname "crunchies".
Soldiers issued two pairs of boots, both made with brown finishing to be polished black. There was a brief period (1908-1914) in which they removed a pair of polished ones with black hands for parade and drill and one pair finished in raw brown leather for the task of fatigue and field services. World War I forced the return to brown leather boots for Other Ratings but the polished black boots were still worn by some individuals or units due to customs. Officers, who bought their own uniforms, still had to wear polished brown boots and a Sam Browne leather belt that matched the uniform of their field service, marking them apart from their men. Officers boots have heel plates, but do not have a single stud and a leg plate because they are able to replace the soles. Next Boots, General Service which was adopted in 1927 was expelled from the factory with blacks.
Video Ammunition boot
Pattern
The original 1037 pattern was made from 1887 to 1907. During the Second Boer War (1899-1902), civilian manufacturers made a series of variants on Pattern 1037 due to different manufacturing techniques (such as the engine-stitched tops or glued outer soles). This was declared obsolete in 1903 because they did not appear uniform and were not worn well.
Better 1037i patterns were adopted from 1907 to 1911. While replaced with the same 7325 and 7326 patterns from 1911 to 1914 when they did research for a replacement boot. Experimental sequences of "A" and "HN" were also created during this time but are obsolete by the dawn of World War I.
In 1915, the series "B" began, which mainly consisted of "B2" and "B5". It was an ammunition boot pattern with woven cotton ropes, ordinary leather counters, and lacked a leather leg cap. It was created to save skin and increase production. To strengthen boot and increase wear B2 series has a horizontal layer between the top and the "B5" series has spikes between vamp and quarters.
In 1918, the post-war 9902 pattern came into use. It has "one-piece soles and heels", fine leather vamps and quarters, and a pebble-skin counters and foot-caps. It came with brown skin, but polished black.
In 1924, boot Pattern 4055, the pioneer of Boot, General Service (BGS) was released. It comes in brown leather and has 25 hobnails. In 1927, the last Pattern 10085 boot, BGS, was similar except it came in blacks.
Variation Pattern
Vehicle drivers wear shoes without nails because they will damage the pedals and make sparks. This was extended to armored crew members at the Royal Tank Resiment and Reconnaissance Corps in 1942, as well as to water-borne crew members from the Royal Army Service Corps in 1943.
Specialists and ammunition sellers issue regular ammunition boots with rubber and rubber soles that have no nails and steel heels and legs. This is to avoid creating sparks near flammable or explosive stores (such as gunpowder or gasoline). Commandos issued them to make it easier for them to move quietly.
During World War II, a pattern without toecap was used by the Canadian Army and was issued to the Royal Air Force and Royal Marines. As an economy measured the number of hobnails reduced in April, 1942 to 15 pockets, then reduced to 13 pale in September, 1942.
Boots are the focus of much practice and attention. Achieving high polishing is often a goal and requires hours of "bulling" (strong polishing) until it reaches a deep sheen. Experienced soldiers will "burn" a dimpled surface with beeswax and a heated spoon to make it smoother and easier to shine.
The ammunition boots were replaced with the only one directly shaped boots ( DMS shoes ) in 1958. These were identical to ammunition shoes except for having rubber soles and heels. Keeper of the Regiment but still wearing very fine Ammo Boots at the parade.
Maps Ammunition boot
References
- Army Boots - English
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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