shorts

[GrenPen]

The Wikipedia article on the Battle of Tsingtao has an interesting photo of 2nd Battalion South Wales borderers attired in Khaki Drill shorts, puttees and Wolseley FSH (Foreign Service Helmet).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/BritishTroopsArriveTsingtao1914.jpg

I was wondering when the wearing of shorts was officially adopted. Having trawled through some posts in this forum, it appears that shorts were adapted out of cut down Class W Khaki Drill trousers until 1917, when pattern 9312/1917 (circa April 1917) came into being.

A post on this forum advises that 'The 1904 Dress Regulations stipulated that the Wolseley was now for all stations abroad.' Would shorts have come into semi-official use at the same time?

[Piorun]

"Shorts" was a relative term in my day . Antony

[FROGSMILE]

The Wikipedia article on the Battle of Tsingtao has an interesting photo of 2nd Battalion South Wales borderers attired in Khaki Drill shorts, puttees and Wolseley FSH (Foreign Service Helmet).

http://upload.wikime...singtao1914.jpg

I was wondering when the wearing of shorts was officially adopted. Having trawled through some posts in this forum, it appears that shorts were adapted out of cut down Class W Khaki Drill trousers until 1917, when pattern 9312/1917 (circa April 1917) came into being.

A post on this forum advises that 'The 1904 Dress Regulations stipulated that the Wolseley was now for all stations abroad.' Would shorts have come into semi-official use at the same time?

Someone might be able to quote a routine order that offers some regulation, but for what it's worth, I have never seen any photos of British troops wearing shorts before 1914, although I understand that British units in tropical stations, including India, deployed to France wearing shorts, and this is mentioned in Frank Richards book "Old Soldiers never Die". Anecdotally it seems that shorts became popular in the British military for hot climes around 1910 (ish), but I don't think they were worn as early as 1904.

[T8HANTS]

Sadly the adoption of shorts by the British army was directly responsible for the loss of the Empire! It is universaly agreed that the the sight of a bare kneed Scotsman accompanied by the skirl of the pipes is indeed a terrifying sight. However the Englishman's knees should never be seen in public as they will be exposed to ridicule. The result was that the natives lost their deference, realising at last that anyone with 'those' half way up their legs were more to be pitied,thajn feared and ultimately defied and ignored. With all respect gone, Colonies all over the World wanted their streets free from occuping forces that looked so foolish, the Empire was doomed!

G

[FROGSMILE]

Sadly the adoption of shorts by the British army was directly responsible for the loss of the Empire! It is universaly agreed that the the sight of a bare kneed Scotsman accompanied by the skirl of the pipes is indeed a terrifying sight. However the Englishman's knees should never be seen in public as they will be exposed to ridicule. The result was that the natives lost their deference, realising at last that anyone with 'those' half way up their legs were more to be pitied,thajn feared and ultimately defied and ignored. With all respect gone, Colonies all over the World wanted their streets free from occuping forces that looked so foolish, the Empire was doomed!

G

Yes I've heard that said before and it is true that only a very few men look good in shorts. There have been recent attempts to rehabilitate them but they only tend to be worn off-duty in base areas.

[Lachlan]

Mind you, when you look at the designs of some of army shorts, even in WW2, no-one could look good in them !

[Sapper Will]

It seems odd that British officers and NCOs could be such sticklers for uniformity and then allow their men to cut their issue trousers into shorts on the Western Front. I suppose the attitude of a battalion's CO determined it.

[centurion]

Someone might be able to quote a routine order that offers some regulation, but for what it's worth, I have never seen any photos of British troops wearing shorts before 1914, although I understand that British units in tropical stations, including India, deployed to France wearing shorts, and this is mentioned in Frank Richards book "Old Soldiers never Die". Anecdotally it seems that shorts became popular in the British military for hot climes around 1910 (ish), but I don't think they were worn as early as 1904.

Shorts were worn unofficially during the South African War. Years ago I listened to an interview with a survivor of Ladysmith who recalled converting his trousers to shorts and being put on a charge for damaging government property. He escaped any repercussions by claiming that wear and tear had resulted in the need for trouser leg amputation in the field and because so many other men had done the same that it would have been impracticable to penalise them all.

[centurion]

Further to this it would seem that shorts later became official during the South African War. The fortunes of the still existing clothing company Bukta were founded on this and the company's official history records

"Edward Buck moved to factory premises, predominantly making shorts for soldiers in the British Army during the Boer War."

Another history records

"The British Army in South Africa was issued shorts, after which they became increasingly more common. Boer War ventran Lord Baden Powell, based on his Boer War experience introduced shorts to generations of Scouts around the world." Wilson, A.N. The Victorians (Norton),

[WhiteStarLine]

Extract from the 1st Anzac RO 507 of 4 December 1917:

301. CLOTHING -- UNAUTHORISED ALTERATION TO

It has come to notice that certain Units have been in the habit of wearing shorts as part of the recognised S. D. uniform, and that the trousers issued to the men have been cut down for the purpose.

This practice of cutting trousers into shorts is to cease.

[FROGSMILE]

Further to this it would seem that shorts later became official during the South African War. The fortunes of the still existing clothing company Bukta were founded on this and the company's official history records

"Edward Buck moved to factory premises, predominantly making shorts for soldiers in the British Army during the Boer War."

Another history records

"The British Army in South Africa was issued shorts, after which they became increasingly more common. Boer War ventran Lord Baden Powell, based on his Boer War experience introduced shorts to generations of Scouts around the world." Wilson, A.N. The Victorians (Norton),

Very interesting. They must have been embarrassed to be seen as there do not appear to be many photographs of the men in shorts. I suspect they were worn in rear areas as infantrymen would not find them so good in the stony ground in some parts of the veldt.

[T8HANTS]

I seem to remember an interview with a Boer war vet who survived Paardeburg, who recalled that the Highlanders suffered terrible sun-burn to the backs of their knees when they were pinned down all day during that battle. He thought the kilt a useless bit of kit for those conditions. I cannot see that shorts would have proved any better.

G

[centurion]

I seem to remember an interview with a Boer war vet who survived Paardeburg, who recalled that the Highlanders suffered terrible sun-burn to the backs of their knees when they were pinned down all day during that battle. He thought the kilt a useless bit of kit for those conditions. I cannot see that shorts would have proved any better.

G

It would seem that the Boers adopted shorts first. The Rapportgangers Corps was formed in 1899 by Danie Theron and deployed to provide scouting capabilities at Waterberg, Soutspansberg, Lichtenburg, Wakkerstroom, Vryheid, Zeerust and Bloemfontein. Equipment issued included "a bicycle, trousers (shorts), a revolver and sometimes a light rifle"

[David B]

T8,

If I recall correctly the shorts issued in those days and later were below the knee shorts and there was only an inch or two between the bottom of the shorts and the top of the socks.

Also known as Bombay bloomers.

[centurion]

T8,

If I recall correctly the shorts issued in those days and later were below the knee shorts and there was only an inch or two between the bottom of the shorts and the top of the socks.

Also known as Bombay bloomers.

The term Bombay bloomer applies to shorts with a deep turn up which could be unbuttoned and let down over the knees converting the shorts to cropped trousers. They could then be tucked into the long socks to provide cover against insect bite. The term has subsequently been applied (incorrectly) to any form of baggy shorts.

A history of the Bermuda short indicates that these were first brought to Bermuda by British forces before WW1 and ended 2 inches above the knee. Its also suggested that shorts were first worn in the tropics by Royal Navy officers who wore them with long white socks (which should please at least one forum member who believes that the RN invented everything).

[T8HANTS]

Somebody must have a photograph of bicycling Boers, this I must see.

G

[T8HANTS]

I have just found this photo of Danie Theron of the Krugersdorp Kommando.

One Bicycling Boer.

G

[WilliamRev]

Captain J. C. Dunn, in "The War the Infantry Knew 1914-1919" (an utter gem of a book - I urge every forum member to read it if they haven't yet), relates the Battle of Loos from the perspective of the 1st Royal Welch Fusiliers (19th Brigade, 2nd Division), and [page 158] talks about the sudden change in the weather in late September 1915 from the hot and dry summer and autumn:

"September 28th......since the 25th the weather had been wet and cold. As the men were still in shorts they felt the change acutely, so they supplemented their insufficient clothing with sand-bags; some made for themselves complete suits."

William

[Muerrisch]

............ the impossible takes a little longer ..........

Of course the fact that the word "shorts" was current by 1914 demonstrates that the articles existed: cometh the article [however short] cometh the word.

[Muerrisch]

Captain J. C. Dunn, in "The War the Infantry Knew 1914-1919" (an utter gem of a book - I urge every forum member to read it if they haven't yet), relates the Battle of Loos from the perspective of the 1st Royal Welch Fusiliers (19th Brigade, 2nd Division), and [page 158] talks about the sudden change in the weather in late September 1915 from the hot and dry summer and autumn:

"September 28th......since the 25th the weather had been wet and cold. As the men were still in shorts they felt the change acutely, so they supplemented their insufficient clothing with sand-bags; some made for themselves complete suits."

William

Naughty.

not the 1st battalion [who?] but the immortal 2nd.

Beware the book: can cause a lifetime's addiction and craving. Ask my wife.

[WilliamRev]

EEK! yes, sorry, I was thinking of 2nd Battalion as I typed 1st (comes of constantly typing 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers - my major interest).

It really is a phenomenal book, not least because of the honest incidental details such as how much distain some regular battalions had for some of the territorials, and officers turning a blind eye to the drinking habits of their men, and a thousand other fantastic details that don't appear in print elsewhere...

William

[FROGSMILE]

The term Bombay bloomer applies to shorts with a deep turn up which could be unbuttoned and let down over the knees converting the shorts to cropped trousers. They could then be tucked into the long socks to provide cover against insect bite. The term has subsequently been applied (incorrectly) to any form of baggy shorts.

A history of the Bermuda short indicates that these were first brought to Bermuda by British forces before WW1 and ended 2 inches above the knee. Its also suggested that shorts were first worn in the tropics by Royal Navy officers who wore them with long white socks (which should please at least one forum member who believes that the RN invented everything).

Those are the kind of shorts issued in khaki serge to some units of the BEF. There are most definitely some photos of that kind and you can see the part turned up and the securing buttons.

[centurion]

Somebody must have a photograph of bicycling Boers, this I must see.

Yes The Bicycling Boers of Bloemfontein sound like the act Prince Edmund and Baldric would have booked if The Jumping Jews of Jerusalem were unavailable!

[centurion]

Somebody must have a photograph of bicycling Boers, this I must see.

Here you go http://samilitaryhistory.org/vo041dma.jpg . It would seem from the same source that whilst they were issued with shorts they declined to wear them.

[Muerrisch]

my earliest sighting of tailored shorts [not bloomers] is on a company or two of 2nd RWF on manoeuvres in India c. 1910, and I will try to sort out a detail to post.