skels Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 Hi, I have attached a photo of group of soldiers wearing what appears to be cold weather kit. I have little knowledge but appears to me to be WW1 British Army? Any further information on the photo would be welcome. Reverse of photo is not available to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 Certainly British and wearing the goatskin jackets issued from late 1914/early 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 Always strikes me that they would have been a lot warmer worn inside out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skels Posted 17 December , 2016 Author Share Posted 17 December , 2016 Thanks Squirrel. I was trying to think of a war zone that would need issue of cold weather kit but assuming from your reply these were standard issue for men on Western Front? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 (edited) The 6th Black Watch were issued with theirs on the 4th of November, 1915. I think they were 'binned' when it was discovered that when they got wet, they stank. Mike Edit 1.02 p.m., 17/12/2016 In the 6th Black Watch's case they were 'Sheepskin' Edited 17 December , 2016 by Skipman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 1 hour ago, PhilB said: Always strikes me that they would have been a lot warmer worn inside out! Some did wear them reversed, however GRO orders were issued (I have got this somewhere but can't find it at the moment) stating this was not to be done as in wet weather the 'flesh' side of the leather was damaged and became slimy. As Mike says they did stink according to contemporary accounts. Sometimes referred to as 'Bunnies' 'Woolly Bears' or 'Stinkers' and probably one or two other names! Photo is of a sheepskin version courtesy of the IWM. They all followed much the same construction. Some sleeveless versions were also issued. Regards Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skels Posted 17 December , 2016 Author Share Posted 17 December , 2016 Thanks to all for your information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 Presumably such skins have been worn by men since they first wore anything. It`s surprising that they were deemed incapable of standing up to trench life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 I think, as mentioned, if worn correctly, they were fine. Never seen a live sheep wear one the wrong way round. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 Members of the Army Ordnance Corps and Indian troops wearing goatskins. Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 The German equivalent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 17 December , 2016 Share Posted 17 December , 2016 (edited) Since it's not been mentioned - those men with visible badges in the OP all appear to be RAMC: Edited 17 December , 2016 by Andrew Upton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skels Posted 17 December , 2016 Author Share Posted 17 December , 2016 Hi Andrew, Very interesting. No idea who they are but some descendants medics so perhaps an association? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 18 December , 2016 Share Posted 18 December , 2016 Finally found the relevant General Routine Order! 'Care of Fur Waistcoats (GRO505) Fur waistcoats must not be worn with fur inside. If the skin gets wet it will become brittle and hard, whereas the fur helps throw off water and is not affected by wet. (1.1.15)' As mentioned in my previous post, I have also seen reference to badly treated hides which became slimy when reversed and had to be disposed of. Regards Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 6 February , 2018 Admin Share Posted 6 February , 2018 102nd Company Machine Gun Corps were issued with "fur coats" on 31/10/16 - would these have been similar to those mentioned above? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 6 February , 2018 Share Posted 6 February , 2018 Presumably modern sheepskin jackets (fur/wool side inside) don't deteriorate when wet - is there some treatment now that wasn't known then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac101 Posted 6 February , 2018 Share Posted 6 February , 2018 The Canadian doctor William Boyd who published his letters home as a small book “with a field ambulance at Ypres” described groups of men wearing the goatskin jerkins as looking like a recently discovered species of wild animal, he also noted one case on anthrax contracted by a man who slept on his jerkin, using it as a pillow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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