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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Cholera belts


Guest mikehut

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Guest mikehut

I'm not too sure this is the most appropriate forum to ask this one as it's not exactly a uniform item but they evidently were worn so.....

I found a local newspaper article of Oct-1914 that mentions a great uncle who was in the 2nd batn. Royal Berks. They'd just returned from India and were allowed a few days home leave before shipping out to France. Anyway, the article said that the half-dozen "soldier boys" from the village were treated to a "do" at the big house at which they were presented with gifts including socks, cigarettes and a CHOLERA BELT.

What was this? Were their use widespread? Any still exist to see?

Cheers....

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mikehut

Try this for size.

The cholera belt was an article of clothing commonly worn as a preventative measure by British soldiers serving in India, where cholera was endemic. Basically a waistband or cummerbund made of flannel or silk, the belt was supposed to keep away the cold and damp, the theory being that a chilled abdomen would lead to cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal ailments. Doctors realized fairly early on that cholera had little to do with cold and damp and was in fact caused by fecal bacteria in drinking water. But military inertia being what it was, use of the belt persisted until after World War II. 

Garth

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The next bit of that piece is interesting, Garth:-

Quote:-

I'm reminded of a possibly apocryphal story about gun crews in the mechanized artillery in the British Army during World War II. Supposedly standard procedure was to assign eleven men to each crew. Someone noticed that the eleventh man had nothing to do, and asked what his purpose was.

No one knew. Regulation books were consulted. At last there came a sheepish reply:

"To hold the horses." They probably all wore cholera belts, too.

Phil B

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Inside cover illustration of ‘Plain Tales From The Raj’ Ed. Charles Allen

page 220 of the catalogue [sorry no date] of

Army and Navy Co-operative Society, Ltd.

Telephone No. Victoria 8500

Cholera Belts

Quote size of waist when ordering

Red Flannel Cholera Belts, with tapes to tie

Sizes, 30 to 40 inches………….…each 6/6

[6/6 must be about 30p today, but a lot more then]

Regards

Michael D.R.

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