Hacked Off Greatcoats

[PhilB]

Harris`s Covenant With Death suggests that new arrivals in wet trenches were advised by the residents to hack off the skirt of their greatcoats. One can see the sense in this but I wonder what the reaction of the authorities was to men parading in chopped greatcoats. One doesn`t see many photos of butchered greatcoats and a longer greatcoat would have advantages at bedtime. Maybe they acquired one to cut down while keeping the long one? Maybe not. Was the practice widespread? Any ideas?

[Andrew Upton]

Have a look at this thread, in particular posts 22 onwards:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=66171&st=0

[PhilB]

Thanks, Andrew. I think all the answers are there.

[PhilB]

Did the practice of button up skirts end with the armistice? It would have made sense to maintain it if future trench warfare was seen as a possibility but I don`t know of it in WW2 and my greatcoat (1955 isue) didn`t have it, so presumably it stopped somewhere between the wars? .