![British Army GS boot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/British_Army_GS_boot.jpeg)
Ammunition boots are a form of military
footwear
Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serves the purpose of protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from ground textures and temperature. Footwear in the manner of shoes therefore primarily serves th ...
. They were the standard
combat boot
Combat boots are military boots designed to be worn by soldiers during combat or combat training, as opposed to during parades and other ceremonial duties. Modern combat boots are designed to provide a combination of grip, ankle stability, and ...
for the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
and other forces around the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
and
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
from at least the mid-1860s until their replacement a century later in the 1960s with the rubber-soled Boots DMS (for 'Direct Moulded Sole').
They replaced the earlier ankle boots that had been in service since the early 1800s. Ammunition boots (now known as Boots, Ankle, General Service) remain in use today by British and Commonwealth armies for ceremonial
public duties
Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role.
Armenia
Since September 2018, the Honour Guard Battalion of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia has ...
, most notably by the British Army's
Household Division
Household Division is a term used principally in the Commonwealth of Nations to describe a country's most elite or historically senior military units, or those military units that provide ceremonial or protective functions associated directly with ...
, who provide the
King's Guard.
The term "Ammunition boots" is a generic term for these heavy, studded ankle boots, which were produced in a variety of patterns. The name supposedly comes from the boots' being historically procured by the Master Gunner and the Munitions Board at
Woolwich
Woolwich () is a district in southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was maintained throu ...
(the Regiment of Artillery's headquarters) rather than
Horse Guards (the headquarters of the British Army), and being of 'ammunition quality'.
History
![The Royal Navy during the Second World War A14265](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/The_Royal_Navy_during_the_Second_World_War_A14265.jpg)
Ammunition boots were unlined ankle-
boot
A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is cle ...
s, usually with leather laces, iron heel-plate and toe-plate, and an iron-studded leather
sole. The vamp (front) and quarters (sides) were often made of a contrasting type of leather than the toe case (toe cap) and counter (heel cap), one made of "pebble-grained" (dimpled) leather and the other of smooth leather. They were designed to be hard-wearing and long-lasting rather than comfortable. The
hobnail
In footwear, a hobnail is a short nail with a thick head used to increase the durability of boot soles.
Uses
Hobnailed boots (in Scotland "tackety boots") are boots with hobnails (nails inserted into the soles of the boots), usually installe ...
-studded soles made a loud crunching sound when the wearer was marching, earning them the nickname "crunchies".
Prior to the First World War, British soldiers were issued two pairs of boots, both made with a brown finish that had to be polished black. There was a brief period (1908 to 1914) where they were issued one pair that was hand-polished in black for parade and drill, and one pair finished in raw brown hide for fatigue duty and field service.
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
forced the reversion to brown leather boots for Other Ranks, and a simplification of the patterns, but polished black boots were still worn by some individuals or units out of habit. Officers, who purchased their own uniforms, were still required to wear polished brown boots and matching leather
Sam Browne belt
The Sam Browne is a leather Belt (clothing), belt with a supporting strap that passes over the right shoulder, worn by military and police officers. It is named after Sir Sam Browne, Samuel J. Browne (1824–1901), the British Indian Army General o ...
with their field service uniform, marking them apart from their men. Officers' boots had heel plates, but lacked the sole studs and toe plates because they could afford to have the soles replaced. The later Boots, General Service adopted in 1927 were issued from the factory in black leather.
Patterns
The original Pattern 1037 was made from 1887 to 1907. During the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
(1899-1902), civilian manufacturers made a series of variants on the Pattern 1037 due to differing manufacturing techniques (like machine-sewn uppers or glued-on outer soles).
![Royal Bermuda Regiment at St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Royal_Bermuda_Regiment_at_St._James%27_Church_in_Somerset.jpg)
An improved 1037i pattern was adopted from 1907 to 1911. It was temporarily replaced by the similar 7325 and 7326 patterns from 1911 to 1914 while they did research for a replacement boot. The experimental "A" and "HN" series were also made during this time but were obsolete by the dawn of World War I.
By 1915, the "B" series was begun, consisting chiefly of the "B2" and "B5". It was a pattern of ammunition boot with woven cotton laces, a plain-leather counter, and lacked the leather toe cap. It was created to save leather and increase production. To reinforce the boot and increase wear the B2 series had a horizontal seam between the parts of the upper and the "B5" series had rivets between the vamp and quarters.
In 1918, the post-war 9902 pattern came into service. It had a "clump sole" (one-piece sole and heel), smooth leather vamp and quarters, and pebbled-leather counter and toe-cap. It came in brown leather, but was polished black.
In 1924, the Pattern 4055 boot, forerunner of the ''Boot, General Service'' (BGS) was issued. It came in brown leather and had 25 hobnails. In 1927, the later Pattern 10085 boot, the BGS, was similar except it came in black leather.
Variant Patterns
Vehicle drivers wore boots without
hobnail
In footwear, a hobnail is a short nail with a thick head used to increase the durability of boot soles.
Uses
Hobnailed boots (in Scotland "tackety boots") are boots with hobnails (nails inserted into the soles of the boots), usually installe ...
s because they would damage the pedals and create sparks. This was extended to armored vehicle crews in the Royal Tank Regiment and Reconnaissance Corps in 1942, as well as to the crews of waterborne craft of the Royal Army Service Corps in 1943.
Specialists and ammunition storemen were issued regular ammunition boots with rubber heels and rubber crepe soles that lacked the hobnails and steel heel- and toe-plates. This was to avoid creating sparks near flammable or explosive stores (like gunpowder or gasoline). Commandos were issued them to make it easier for them to move silently.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, a pattern without the toecap was used by the
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
and was issued to the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
and the
Royal Marines
The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...
. As an economy measure the number of hobnails were reduced in April, 1942 to 15 hobnails, later reduced to 13 hobnails in September, 1942.
![Bull polished drill boots](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Bull_polished_drill_boots.JPG)
The boots were the focus of much
drill
A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a bit, either a drill or driverchuck. Hand-operated types are dramatically decreasing in popularity and cordless battery-powered ones proliferating due to ...
and attention. Achieving a high
polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
was often the aim and required hours of
"bulling" (vigorous polishing) until it achieved a deep sheen. Experienced soldiers would "burn-down" the dimpled surface of the boots with
beeswax
Beeswax (''cera alba'') is a natural wax produced by honey bees of the genus ''Apis''. The wax is formed into scales by eight wax-producing glands in the abdominal segments of worker bees, which discard it in or at the hive. The hive workers ...
and a heated spoon to make them smooth and easier to shine.
Notes
References
Army Boots - British
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ammunition Boot
1880s fashion
19th-century fashion
20th-century fashion
British Army equipment
British military uniforms
Military boots