Surviving uniforms and equipment. -A general question.

[tonya1]

As a general enquiry I'm interested in how would any item of (named) clothing or equipment be around for people to buy 100 years on?

I included this in another topic but it was probably the wrong place so I have now listed it separately.

My thoughts are that:-

Some soldiers managed to keep their uniforms and or equipment and it has stayed in their family until now.

I also presume that when soldiers returned home and left the army they were either given, or they kept their items (of clothing); or that items were deemed not re-useable and so sold off.

In some cases a person's items would be shared out, or auctioned off after their death and this could have been back in England/ Scotland etc.- I think this might be the case in a kilt I possess.

In some cases officers' items could have been purchased but never been worn or sent from the suppliers, before a person was killed. 

Spare clothing/items could have been left at home .

My thoughts are that only a small number of items would have been removed from the dead and returned home.

I'm sure there are many other options, and probably many very straightforward ones; so I would be really interested in any thoughts or opinions.

Thanks

Tony

[sueburden]

Regarding items sent home after death,  in Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain, she recounts that Roland's ( her fiancee) kit had been returned to his mother.  It was lying just opened on tbe floor.  The garments sent back included the outfit he had been wearing when he was hit. The tunic torn back and front by the bullet. A khaki vest stiff and black with blood and a pair of blood stained breeches.  Everything was damp and caked with mud.  His cap was was returned,  the badge caked with mud.   His mother asked her husband to take them away into the kitchen.  She said they must be burnt or buried.

Sue

[tonya1]

Thanks Sue, I'll have a read.

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

AIF soldiers records are full of items sent home after the soldier passed.

Since personal items were taken from the dead, (if recovered) those with items in storeage of the soldier would be sent home including military equiptment not needed by the Army.

Webbing and such, the Army kept, but socks and jocks like items, were sent home.

While British soldiers seam to have a canvas bag to keep there gear in, not so the AIF, so I am unsure want your Army did.

When I retired I had two Metal trucks full of Army gear from around thirty years and many issues, my kids and Grand kids don't want it, so its for the skip.

I would say that what happened to a lot of old soldiers gear, the local skip got it all.

such is life

S.B

 

 

[tonya1]

Interesting.

My great grandad had some uniform from his time in the first world war and his medals. His house was bombed flat on the first night of the Blitz in WW2; so no uniform to pass down!

I have a WW1 trunk from a French Cavalry officer; but only the trunk and I have a French cavalry trumpeter's jacket from 1867 with it's issue number on, so I know it was worn by Gustave de la Melier de Labarthe! He was wounded and left for dead on the battlefield in Thailand, but finally managed to get back home and fight in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870/71. 

I'll keep searching skips (and Ebay).

Thanks

Tony