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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2001-10 > 1002061980


From: (Taff Gillingham)
Subject: [WW1] Re Trench Foot
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2001 22:33:00 +0000




Hi Peter,

Thank you for your detailed reply - and your kind comments about The Chums
which were much appreciated.

Vaseline was very popular with Great War troops. Many of the original
letters I have which were sent home by men at the Front ask their families
to send out jars of Vaseline. There is also reference to tins of foot
powder (which was standard issue to men during the Second War), but I'm not
sure about the scale of issue in the Great War of it it was only private
purchase.

For general interest, the original Great War boots were supplied in brown
reversed leather (ie the rough surface was on the outside with the smooth
against the skin. Pre-War every man had two pairs - one which he would
blacken and polish for parades and the other which would be dubbinned for
fatigues. In wartime there was no need for parade boots, so the men had
only one pair of brown dubbinned boots (I have even seen bodies being
recovered still wearing brown boots).

The only exception to the brown boots rule seems to be troops serving in
the middle east where the boots seem to have been supplied by Indian Army
Ordnance depots. Presumably the labour was cheap enough in India for the
boots to be made ready-blackened.

Thanks again for your help - I will circulate your information to the Chums
who I know will appreciate it.

With best wishes,

Taff



>Resent-Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2001 04:44:09 -0600
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>Date: Tue, 02 Oct 2001 11:41:45 +0100
>From: "peter.fellowes" <>
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>Subject: [WW1] Re Trench Foot
>To:
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>
>Hello to all listers,
>I wonder if I may add my thoughts and ideas to this most interesting
>thread based on my 25 years service (1964-89), and what seems to me in
>hindsight as having stood in every muddy hole from the Brecon Beacons,
>Plains of North Germany and the Falklands. This may also be of some
>assistance to Taff and the other Khaki Chums.
>
>We know the causes of trench foot as prolonged immersion in water or
>wetness to the feet. This in part is caused by the conditions and in
>part by the boots themselves. The boots of the day were of two general
>types (although there were exceptions) and these were "Boots Ammunition"
>or Boots Leather Ankle". Both these types of boots had the same basic
>and general design in that of a leather sole supplemented by a steel toe
>and heel plate and a number of studs and leather uppers joined to the
>sole by stitching. These boots in basic forms with the odd modification
>remained in general service until about 1965/66 (there were the odd
>exceptions during WW2 for commandos who had "Boots CWW") when they were
>replaced by "Boots Leather Ankle DMS" which had a rubber moulded sole,
>and these in turn were replaced in general service in about 1975/76 with
>"Boots Combat High".
>
>The problem is how to stop the feet becoming wet in the first place and
>the main problem with Boots Ammunition and Leather Ankle was the leather
>sole. This acted like a "Wick" so when standing in even wet grass the
>leather sole would become wet and given time "wick" the dampness into
>the boot. The other weak points of these boots was the stitching around
>the welt area joining the uppers to the sole and the lace holes.
>
>The best care of these type of boots is to get some Bees Wax and place
>the jar in a saucepan of warm water until the bees wax becomes a liquid
>then with a small paintbrush "paint" this onto the leather sole, instep
>and heel of the boots, allow to soak in and in drying it hardens again
>into a wax, you may wish to repeat this two or three times and in any
>case should be done perhaps once a week as routine. This will reduce any
>"wicking effect" through the sole of the boot but will never stop it
>completely. The same should be done around the welt area were the upper
>is stitched to the sole. As for the uppers and the lace holes then ample
>applications of a good quality boot polish, allowing each coat to dry
>and be polished to a shine before the next coat is applied
>
>Even carrying out this type of boot maintaince on a regular basis will
>never stop water or mud entering the boot and allowing the feet to
>become wet thus allowing the onset of trench foot, (no boot of this type
>could hope to cope with the conditions in the trenches or even the use
>by "The Khaki Chums"), but it does go someway to reducing it.
>
>Care of the feet; the feet should be where possible, inspected at least
>once in every 24 hours and first of all dried off, then they should be
>washed in COLD WATER this has a refreshing effect and cools the feet,
>the feet should then be dried again paying attention to between the
>toes. A light dusting of chalk should then be applied to act as an
>absorbent and any excess dusted off. To obtain a good supply of chalk go
>to any stationary store and purchase a box (or boxes) of white chalk
>sticks, the sort used by schools (they come in boxes of 50 sticks for
>about £ 3). Place the chalk sticks into a plastic bag and crush up to a
>dust/powder and place this into a tin or even a "puffer" bottle, these
>then may be safely carried in your equipment and should be readily to
>hand.WARNING GLASS JARS OR CONTAINERS SHOULD NEVER BE CARRIED IN SMALL
>PACKS OR POUCHES.
>
>After the excess chalk has been dusted off then apply a thin application
>of Vaseline, this should be rubbed well into the feet, between the toes
>and right up to the ankle. This has two effects, by rubbing the Vaseline
>well in until it is all absorbed is placing a waterproof layer onto the
>skin and also this is acting as a foot massage and warms the feet and
>restores the blood circulation, were possible this should be done in
>pairs on the "you do mine I will do yours principle" this is when you
>find out who your friends are. Put on a dry pair of socks, replace
>boots and your ready for your next days or nights duties.
>
>A word of caution, because you are applying Vaseline to your feet and
>thus in part a waterproof barrier to the skin remember it works in the
>reverse as well, when your feet get hot and start to sweat with marching
>or normal trench routine the moisture has no where to escape to, this
>may give an uncomfortable feeling at times of itchy feet but nothing
>that can not be lived with providing you wash your feet as described at
>least once every 24 hours.
>
>On a note of authenticity for Taff and the other Khaki Chums, Beeswax
>and Chalk would certainly have been available during and before WW1, not
>sure about Vaseline but seeing as you can not get Whale Oil it seems a
>similar alternative and would have the same effect.
>
>Hope this may be of some help or interest to listers and to the Khaki
>Chums of whom I have the utmost respect and admiration.
>
>Regards.
>Peter.
>
>
>
>
>
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