Canadian J Posted 3 May , 2017 Share Posted 3 May , 2017 (edited) Good day pals! The man on the right is my Great Grandfather in this recently discovered photo! However, his choice of footwear doesn't seem standard and is a bit of a mystery to me. Any thoughts? - Jordan Edited 3 May , 2017 by Canadian J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottmarchand Posted 3 May , 2017 Share Posted 3 May , 2017 They look like a pair of German field boots, or farmers boots. This sort of picture was taken at rest nehind the lines when off duty. Although in uniform he may have been having regulation boots repaired, replaced or just being more comforatbel despite being against regulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty55 Posted 3 May , 2017 Share Posted 3 May , 2017 (edited) I was going to say German or Russian boots. Maybe crossing the difference - Prussian? Edited 3 May , 2017 by Kitty55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 3 May , 2017 Share Posted 3 May , 2017 The collar badges look like Canadian maple leaves. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tullybrone Posted 3 May , 2017 Share Posted 3 May , 2017 Hi, Soldier on left has 7 button Canadian issue tunic and appears to have wound stripe on his tunic left wrist that dates the photo to during or after summer 1916. Steve Y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottmarchand Posted 3 May , 2017 Share Posted 3 May , 2017 They are Canadian for sure, likely 60th or 49th Battalion looking at the patches and inferring the bottom colour to be third Div french grey and the top colour either blue or green as the collars are not for any of the CMR units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian J Posted 3 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 3 May , 2017 Thanks for all the input so far everyone, I was suspecting the boots were German but was unsure if British or Canadian soldiers may have been issued a similar looking boot. They are 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles, Grey patch on bottom for 3rd Div. Red square on top for 5CMR. Photo would have been no earlier than Dec.1916 as my Great Grandpa joined 5CMR that month. The jacket on the left was early issue Canadian uniform but by 1917, as far as I know, Canadians were being issued the 5 button British jackets. I assume the man on the left was in 5CMR before my Great Grandpa based on the early jacket. Thanks Steve for the info about the wound stripe! I had no idea about that. All the best for now Pals! - Jordan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 3 May , 2017 Share Posted 3 May , 2017 (edited) They're definitely not German (or Russian) marching/field/jack boots. More likely to army issue rubber wellies, I think? (aka... 'gumboots - short') Dave Edited 3 May , 2017 by CROONAERT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottmarchand Posted 4 May , 2017 Share Posted 4 May , 2017 Well, I stand corrected - wouldn't have thought red for the upper part of the formation patch, I am not great at inferring colours from old pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasemuseum Posted 4 May , 2017 Share Posted 4 May , 2017 8 hours ago, Canadian J said: The jacket on the left was early issue Canadian uniform The 7-button jackets stayed in manufacture until quite late. I have an almost unused example with manufacturers markings on the back of the leather tab across the collar and clearly dated 1916. It should be noted that the colour is different to SD khaki. Cheers Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian J Posted 4 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 4 May , 2017 Thanks Dave, as I was starting to fully assume they were German so now I can suspect the wellies, thanks! If anyone has any extra info on wellies, I would be very interested. Thanks scottmarchand for taking a crack at the patches although please remember that I got to cheat by looking at his service record! Thanks Ross on the added jacket info! much appreciated all! - Jordan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottmarchand Posted 4 May , 2017 Share Posted 4 May , 2017 They may very well be basic gumboots as they were popular alternative to the hip high trench waders - read down about halfway here on this page, and you'll another example similar to the one above: http://www.tommy1418.com/wwi-facts--figures--myths.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian J Posted 6 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 6 May , 2017 Thanks so much for the link scottmarchand! They definitely closely resemble the 'gumboots - short' as shown in the link. A big give away would be the toes of both boots are the same. Thanks again Scott! All the best for now pals, - J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMB1943 Posted 10 May , 2017 Share Posted 10 May , 2017 Now that the thread has apparently closed, may I do a little hi-jack? The collar badges of both men are very obvious. Did British OR's also wear collar badges ? I believe that I have seen a VERY few such photos, but am I imagining that ? I bought a pair of collar badges of my g'father 's regiment, but wonder now if these are really for officers only. Any info gratefully received. Regards, JMB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 10 May , 2017 Share Posted 10 May , 2017 59 minutes ago, JMB1943 said: The collar badges of both men are very obvious. Did British OR's also wear collar badges ? I believe that I have seen a VERY few such photos, but am I imagining that ? I bought a pair of collar badges of my g'father 's regiment, but wonder now if these are really for officers only. On SD, British OR's sometimes did wear collar badges, but for the most part units and individuals that did this were few and far between. This is very much in contrast to Canadian and Australian soldiers who wore them pretty much as standard throughout the war. Most British OR's did not get them on SD as standard until the post-war period, as part of the process to dress it up a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMB1943 Posted 11 May , 2017 Share Posted 11 May , 2017 Andrew, Thank you. Regards, JMB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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