Mounted Breeches

[Guest Maenoferren]

Bit of a strange question that I hope someone can answer.

Is there any difference between the Australian mounted patterns breeches and those worn by British troopers during the first world war.

THanks

Stephen

[grantsmil]

I consider it to be a good question Stephen. I know the pattern of the Australian AIF mounted breeches but I do not know what the British used. I am aware that the British had a variety of 'riding' breeches, which were intended for different uses, for example, 'pantaloons, cyclist'; or 'pantaloons, cord, service dress', I do not know which pattern was intended for horse mounted personell. Generally speaking the Australian issue mounted pattern breeches, were a single pattern; they were made of bedford cord, were tight around the leg from the knee down and the lower portion was held closed with laces. The inside of the knees were reinforced with the a patch of the same bedford cord material. The earliest pattern had no visible pockets; the pockets were set with the opening in the top of the waist band. Later examples are seen with pocket openings in the external material. All were held up by braces, and there were no belt loops.

It is a fact that there are a great number of images of Australians wearing breeches with what appear to be leather reinforcing on the inside of the knees, and I suspect that these breeches were supplied from British stock. It is not just mounted soldiers who wore these breeches, it is not uncommon to see photos from 1918 of infantry wearing leather reinforced riding breeches.

Attatched is an image (a poor image) of an Australian mounted pattern breeches.

[Joe Sweeney]

Stephen,

Grantsmil filled in the piece I know little about, the Australian Pantaloons.

British Mounted Service Pantaloons were introduced in 1901 and were made of bedford cord. At first they had Leather strappings then in 1907 this was changed to Cord strappings and in January 1914 the strappings were changed back to leather. In 1916 Pantaloons started to be made out of the same material that the trousers were made of. This was called "Tartan Drab mixture" and had nothing to do with scottish clan distinctions

The attached photo shows a pair of pantaloons made after Feb 1918. This is determined by the green drill at the base of the legs and they are made of "Tartan DM" and not Bedford cord. Befoer the addition of the green drill this part of the leg was normal bedford cord or Tartan and buttoned closed.

There actual was no such thing as 'Pantaloons cyclist'. Cyclists had "Kickerbockers, cyclists" which were short trousers that buttoned just below the knee and had no flare to the thighs.

Joe Sweeney

[grantsmil]

My mistake, the British term is "Knickerbockers, cyclists"; and these British knickerbockers were supplied to the A.I.F. to supplement the supply of Australian made cord breeches for dis-mounted service. Below is an image of the Breeches D.S. (cord) that were worn by all Australians, (except for those who were mounted). The Australian dis-mounted breeches were usually held tight under the knee by short tapes. I have seen unmarked examples which have buttons, as well as pre-war Militia infantry breeches with buttons. Sorry Steven, going off on a tangent.

Thanks Joe, I will have to rat through my unmarked breeches and attempt to determine their origin.

Below are a pair of dis-mounted Australian breeches, (which I suspect are a very simliar to the items worn by the cyclists).

Edited 12 December , 2005 by grantsmil