WW1 Australian Boots

[RMAMarshall]

Dear Sirs,

I acquired these boots with a lot of equipment in part exchange for a WW1 RFC flying coat. They were described uncertainly as WW1 Australian boots, both are marked F /I\ F on the uppers and look identical to pairs in the Australian war memorial site. However, they seem to have reinforced toe caps. There is a patent mark under one - Pat. No. 662 / 3, and an oval makers mark on each instep that is difficult to read, but the middle line has 'Steel Toe', and the bottom Salet... but with the last letters unreadable. As they cost neither me nor the previous owner anything, it seems unlikely that they have been fabricated. Can anyone shed any light on them?

Richard

[RMAMarshall]

Second photo showing the soles.

[RMAMarshall]

Finally, the markings.

[Chris Henschke]

It doesn't appear to conform to the any of the standard boots, ankle, brown used by the A.I.F. in the Great War.

The differences I can pick are;

1. There is no midsole or halfsole.

2. The outsole lacks cutlan nails and is screwed construction, without stitching.

3. The toe has stiching and appears to be reinforced with a toe puff.

The first pattern boots used by the A.I.F. had a halfsole and later, in late 1916, as a result of problems in France, boots made in Australia were triple soled with 11 iron sole leather.

The soles of all attributable and verifiable boots, ankle, brown I have seen or own have cutlan nails. These are the square nails used to reduce wear on the outsole and reinforce it. The sole should also be stitched.

The toe cap and toe puff was first used with the Boots, Ankle, Universal in 1940, which replaced the 1934 pattern boot.

It looks like they had a relatively large toe plate fitted at some stage, there seems to be a slight outline where they were.

[Guest Chip Minx]

Chris and RMAMarshall,

Take a look at my Australian boots in the thread "Brit Hobnail Boot Patterns". I got these along with a nearly complete Aussie Digger uniform from a private museum during the early 1980s. Chris, any comments?

Thanks,

Chip

[RMAMarshall]

Thanks Chaps,

The toes do seem to have a steel cap, and the soles are definitely odd, but I cannot think what else they might be - they are definitely stamped up properly, and, as I say, not likely to have been fabricated. Could they be special issue for engineers? They seem to match the standard issue boot closely other than the soles; did the Australians have a problem like the British at the outbreak of the war - not having enought manufactury capacity and having to accept items that were close, but not quite the sealed pattern? If they were British, I would have said they might be Territorial emergency purchase.

Richard

[Chris Henschke]

Chip,

The photo on the other thread of your boots is a bit dark, but they cetainly look correct. I would be interested to see a photo of the backstrap. It is usually curved at the top, rather than square. One thing to look for in Australian boots made up to 1940 is that the upper is one piece. The upper of most boots now are made in two pieces and stitched together up the back. The backstrap covers this. The earlier 1912, 1916 and 1934 patterns are one piece. Another thing to look for is the method of attaching the tongue to the vamp. The boots prior to the 1940 pattern are stitched to the underside of the vamp.

RMA,

The F /I\ mark is unusual. I can't help you there! Are you sure it has a steel toecap? If anything, the toe puff (the stiffener inside the toecap) should be made of pigs belly and this is VERY hard.

I have never come across any information to suggest that Engineers were issued any special boots during the Great War. I know that sappers in Water Transport units during WW2 had special boots with rubber soles.

The above notes apply only to Australian boots, as far as my research at the AWM goes.

[Joe Sweeney]

Richard,

I think you have some interesting boots and I'd keep them just to research.

The nail pattern is a very common British Army pattern of the 19th Century and I have a few post cards from before, circa, 1910 clearly showing this pattern. It was not a pattern used on B series boots.

I'm thinking these boots pre date WWI. Up til around 1905 boots were pattern sealed against manufacturers submitted samples (Boer War expendiency)--so there was a variety of common boot patterns.

There were also around 1/2 dozen categories of boots which also included Magazine and Ordnance Factory--which I know very little of.

Your patent date puts these boots in early 1903. I think these boots are British Army and pre date WWI. But this is a bit of guess work and definently requires more research.

Joe Sweeney

[Guest Clinton Brunt]

Richard and Fellows,

Great images!

These shoes appear to have pegged-soles. Was this common in British/Commonwealth shoes?

Sincerely,

Clint