Identification experts on boots please

[egbert]

I found these remnants of boots last week near Thiepval. Is it possible to identify them according to the nail pattern whether they are British or German?

[egbert]

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[egbert]

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[N.S.Regt.]

Egbert

I do not know if it is possible but the germans used small wooden nails in the soles of most issue boots. I do have a small packet but I cannot find them to scan a example but if your boots are German they may have survived. From memory they are 1/2 inch long and look square when looking at the end and are also pointed on the other. My WW1 German side seamed boots have these wooden nails again from memory in three rows on both sides of the boot.

Best regards

N.S.Regt.

[egbert]

The numerous nails as seen in pic 1 and 2 are all metal ones; no wooden nails at all; can I presume these are British remnants?

[bkristof]

any big hob nails still on?

[egbert]

again: as you can see on pic 1+2 ; long row of nails (hobnails if you wish)

[N.S.Regt.]

Egbert

My British boots do have nails similar to the ones pictured and are 1917 vintage this could be what you have there is a couple of threads on British boots which shows the bottoms. I do not have a camera so I cannot show mine.

Best regards

N.S.Regt.

[egbert]

Ok so they are British. I found them approximately 20m in front of first British line in no-mans-land where the 16/N.F (?) from 96th (?) went over the top 1July1916. If anybody here had a NoK/relative or has a special relationship with this particular unit, I offer the remnants for free, except postage

[katesdad]

This is a pure guess, but.......

The area and time you've put to these soles is pretty close to that of the Newfoundlanders' invovlement in the First Battle of the Somme. The time and location are right.

As for the soles themselves, Newfoundland was for the most part kitted out by the Canadians, who in turn were kitted out by the British.

The 96th Regiment became the 2nd Manchesters, who again were on the Somme at the time you've got for these. One of the three brothers my Grandmother lost in the war was a CSM in the 2/8th Manchesters.

So again, maybe pure coincidence, but interesting to ponder.

Larry

[Joe Sweeney]

Egbert,

I think that trying to identify those boots is difficult by the photos.

German hobnails were usually pentagonal in shape and fairly large. Those don't look to be german.

Standard British nails tend to be fairly large and you could not put great numbers onto a boot.. Those look too small to be standard British.

French nails are small and rounded but wear easily. Fr3ench boots had between 57 to 88 nails on the sole depending on size densely packed on the sole except at the small to area. Those nails look French to me.

Now is it from a French boot or another nations boot nailed IAW French practice?

Joe Sweeney

[johnreed]

With regards to the wooden pegs, when I was RQMS in Germany my Camp Cobbler used to repair my brown double soled shoes using the wooden pegs to fill the old stud holes before putting on a new sole, and restudding with issued studs that came in a 56lb sack, thirteen to each sole rows of 4, 4, 3 and two.

P.S. I still have two pairs of my brown Silver Stud shoes.

John