Clothes: The British army were the only army to wear any form of a camouflage uniform. Soon armies from other countries such as India and South Africa followed suit. The British soldier went to war in August 1914, wearing the Pattern Service Dress tunic and trousers, designed in 1902. This was a thick woollen tunic, dyed khaki/brown. If soaked with water, the uniform sagged and became very heavy. There were two chest pockets for personal items such as charms that soldiers carried for good luck. There were two smaller pockets for other items, and an internal pocket sewn under the right flap of the lower tunic. The soldiers also carried AB64 Pay Book, which consisted of an ID card, training information about him and information for the amount and time when a soldier should get his pay. Rifle patches were sewn above the breast pockets, to prevent wear from the webbing equipment and rifle. Shoulder straps were sewn on and fastened with brass buttons, with enough space for a brass regimental shoulder title. Rank badges were sewn onto the upper tunic sleeves, while trade badges and Long Service and Good Conduct stripes were placed on the lower sleeves.
Gas Mask: The first use of poison gas on the Western Front was on 22 April 1915, by the Germans at Ypres, against Canadian and French colonial troops. The initial response was to equip troops with cotton mouth pads for
protection. Soon afterwards the British introduced the Black Veil Respirator (gas mask), which consisted of a long cloth which was used to tie chemical-soaked mouth pads into place. One British officer described it as a smoke helmet, a greasy grey-felt bag with a tale window certainly ineffective against gas.
protection. Soon afterwards the British introduced the Black Veil Respirator (gas mask), which consisted of a long cloth which was used to tie chemical-soaked mouth pads into place. One British officer described it as a smoke helmet, a greasy grey-felt bag with a tale window certainly ineffective against gas.
Puttees were worn round the ankles and calves, and ammunition boots with hobnail soles on the feet. Normally black (brown for officers), they were made of reversed hide, without toe-caps, and with a steel plate on the heel.
Boots: Puttees were worn round the ankles and calves, and ammunition boots with hobnail soles on the feet. Normally black (brown for officers), they were made of reversed hide, without toe-caps, and with a steel plate on the heel. Soldiers wore boots made of thick leather. They weighed up to 2kg themselves, and when soaked, water seeped all the way in. Soldiers couldn’t take their boots off, as there leg would fall off! Also foot diseases such a trench foot and gangrene would develop.
What did a soldier carry with him?
The soldiers would be loaded down with equipment, in addition to their rifle and bayonet, they would each have a further 100 rounds of ammo in their webbing (the belts and pouches on them) a further 100 rounds in bandolers (cotton bags that hung around the neck) each man would also be issued with 2 grenades (specalist grenaders would have a bag with 10+) on their chest they would have a bag containing a gas mask and gas cape. on their back in a rucksack would be an overcoat, one pair of socks one shirt and personal effects (being the british army this would include, boot polish and shaving items) every man carried a canteen with water and also each man would have been issued with 2 days worth of rations, which is those days was a large tin of bully beef or spam). One man in a group of three carried a shovel (not a fold up one but one of the shovels with the long wooden handles) this was for when they captured the enemy trench they would be able to pile up dirt on the reverse side of the trench which would now be the front of the trench i.e the old front faced the british, the back side faced the german rear, now the english were in it the front now faced the british rear and the old rear now faced the next german line. Usually this didn't work anyway and the shovel/spades were used to dig ground for trenches or for graves.
Men also carried bibles with them when they went over the top. They wanted to be close to God at the time of their death. Most of the men would have persoanal effects on them, in the englsih troops case this usually included other weapons such as chains and knuckle-dusters (for when they got a chance to go man to man with the german troops).
In addition to this the men had to carry communication equipment, this included telephone sets (big boxes that you had to wind up with a telephone on the top) large bundles of telephone wire (would be in rolls each roll with up to 1000 meters on it) as the men advanced they would have to unspool the wire as one end was conected to a stationary phone back in the english trench. other men carried signal flags to do semafore signals and others carried cages with messenger pigeons in them. some of the men would have on them large wirecutters. others would be carrying basic medical equipment. and at the battle of the some everyman had a large shiny metal square sewn into the back of his jacket so that observers behind the english lines could keep track of them by the reflections shining off them as they advanced. in total the men would be carrying anything from 60-100 pounds of
equipment on them. although when the soldiers moved, some of their load was pulled around in rotting wooden carts.
What did a soldier carry with him?
The soldiers would be loaded down with equipment, in addition to their rifle and bayonet, they would each have a further 100 rounds of ammo in their webbing (the belts and pouches on them) a further 100 rounds in bandolers (cotton bags that hung around the neck) each man would also be issued with 2 grenades (specalist grenaders would have a bag with 10+) on their chest they would have a bag containing a gas mask and gas cape. on their back in a rucksack would be an overcoat, one pair of socks one shirt and personal effects (being the british army this would include, boot polish and shaving items) every man carried a canteen with water and also each man would have been issued with 2 days worth of rations, which is those days was a large tin of bully beef or spam). One man in a group of three carried a shovel (not a fold up one but one of the shovels with the long wooden handles) this was for when they captured the enemy trench they would be able to pile up dirt on the reverse side of the trench which would now be the front of the trench i.e the old front faced the british, the back side faced the german rear, now the english were in it the front now faced the british rear and the old rear now faced the next german line. Usually this didn't work anyway and the shovel/spades were used to dig ground for trenches or for graves.
Men also carried bibles with them when they went over the top. They wanted to be close to God at the time of their death. Most of the men would have persoanal effects on them, in the englsih troops case this usually included other weapons such as chains and knuckle-dusters (for when they got a chance to go man to man with the german troops).
In addition to this the men had to carry communication equipment, this included telephone sets (big boxes that you had to wind up with a telephone on the top) large bundles of telephone wire (would be in rolls each roll with up to 1000 meters on it) as the men advanced they would have to unspool the wire as one end was conected to a stationary phone back in the english trench. other men carried signal flags to do semafore signals and others carried cages with messenger pigeons in them. some of the men would have on them large wirecutters. others would be carrying basic medical equipment. and at the battle of the some everyman had a large shiny metal square sewn into the back of his jacket so that observers behind the english lines could keep track of them by the reflections shining off them as they advanced. in total the men would be carrying anything from 60-100 pounds of
equipment on them. although when the soldiers moved, some of their load was pulled around in rotting wooden carts.