1915 B2 or B5 Boots

[Died-In-Hell]

Hi there people of this esteemed forum, I have a question.

 

What model of boot would have troops leaving NZ in mid 1915 have been issued with, B2s or B5s? 

 

Secondly were b2s or B5s boots made in NZ?

 

Regards

 

I Died In Hell

[GRANVILLE]

I don't know for sure but I would suspect the B5 pattern and they may well have been made in NZ at some point, although to meet a sudden need I could well imagine a large consignment (along with other equipment), may well have been shipped to NZ from Britain.

David

[wainfleet]

I don't know what NZ troops wore but B5s weren't introduced until quite late in 1916, October I think it was, and don't really start appearing in photos until early 1917.

[GRANVILLE]

22 hours ago, wainfleet said:

I don't know what NZ troops wore but B5s weren't introduced until quite late in 1916, October I think it was, and don't really start appearing in photos until early 1917.

I wouldn't actually agree with  the late 1916 date of introduction of the B5, always having understood they were in service by mid 1915. I believe this was Joe Sweeney's understanding as conveyed in this rather comprehensive posting he made a few years ago:  

 

Edited 2 June , 2019 by GRANVILLE

[Grovetown]

19 hours ago, GRANVILLE said:

I wouldn't actually agree with  the late 1916 date of introduction of the B5, always having understood they were in service by mid 1915. I believe this was Joe Sweeney's understanding as conveyed in this rather comprehensive posting he made a few years ago:  

 

While pattern dates are great, they really give us a 'not before' date.

 

In the draft of his book, he says that the B5 was introduced "in around 1916"; and the History of the Army Ordnance Services relates, in respect of the B5: "A boot made of chrome tanned leather, with machine riveted seams, was being tested just before the war broke out, but before full use could be made of it, quantities of boot making machinery had first to be manufactured. Out of experience of existing types was finally born, in 1916, a boot that combined the best points of the British, French, Italian and Russian, and which could not only be made, but resoled and heeled by machinery.”

 

So design/ pattern wasn't the issue - it was the ability to manufacture it.

 

If the British were struggling to make the B5 before 1916, I would respectfully suggest the Kiwis certainly weren't.

 

Cheers,

 

GT.

 

 

[wainfleet]

I corresponded with Joe on this subject. In his words "the B5 boot design was approved on 14 May 1915" and he said that the B5 was actually introduced "some time in 1916". I don't know why he said "early in 1916" in the linked thread and sadly we can't ask him, but it's notable that the final pattern of B2 is 9117/1916 and the second pattern of B5 is very close at 9119/1916, both September 1916. I believe this is when the B2 was officially abolished and the B5 actually went into production but as so often for the Great War, the evidence is circumstantial. I've scoured photos of the later Somme stages for B5s without success and on that basis I think it's unlikely they got to the front before the end of the year. Somme period photos seem to show B2s, Blucher boots or private purchase boots.