Ammunition boots, also known as Boots, General Service (BGS), were the standard footwear for the British Army from the Victorian Era until the late 1950s.
The term "Ammunition boots" comes from the boots' unusual source; they were procured by the Master Gunner and the Munitions Board at Woolwich (the Regiment of Artillery's headquarters) rather than Horse Guards (the headquarters of the British Army).
Ammunition boots were unlined ankle-boots with leather laces, "pebble-grained" (dimpled) leather uppers and sides, leather toe cap and heel cap, iron heel-plate and toe-plate, and an iron-studded leather sole. They were designed to be hard-wearing and long-lasting rather than comfortable.
The studded soles made a loud crunching sound when the wearer was marching, earning them the nickname "crunchies".
During World War I, a pattern of ammunition boot with woven cotton laces and lacking the leather toe cap was created to save leather and increase production. During World War II, a similar pattern was used by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Marines, and the Canadian Army.
Soldiers were issued two pairs, both made with a black finish. There was a brief period (1908 to 1914) where they were issued one pair finished in black for parade and drill and one pair finished in brown for fatigue duty and field service, but wartime manufacture forced the reversion to black leather for Other Ranks. Officers, who purchased their own uniforms, were still required to wear brown boots and matching leather Sam Browne belt with their field service uniform, marking them apart from their men. Their boots had heel plates, but lacked the sole studs and toe plates.
The boots were the focus of much drill and attention. Achieving a high polish was often the aim and required hours of "bulling" (vigorous polishing) until it achieved a deep sheen. Experienced soldiers would "burn-down" the dimpled surface of the boots with beeswax and a heated spoon to make them smooth and easier to shine.
Ammo boots were replaced by Directly Moulded Sole Boots (DMS boots) in 1958. These were lace-up leather ankle-boots with a leather toe-cap (but no heel cap).
Although the ammo boots were no longer standard-issue, there were still remaining stocks. Regulars were issued one pair of ammunition boots and one pair of DMS boots well into the late 1960s.
The Guards Division continued to wear ammunition boots for ceremonial and drill duties. Around the late 1980s, the Guards' ammunition boots were replaced by boots known as "Drill Boots"—similar boots made specifically for drill with some minor variations.
In 1983, the DMS was replaced with the "Boot, Combat, High" (BCH). They were high-lacing versions of the DMS (omitting the leather toe-cap) that went up to mid-calf. These boots were replaced as the DMS was the cause of so many soldiers becoming unfit during the Falklands campaign. These boots had no arch support and were not waterproof nor lined. Subsequently, they caused many cases of trenchfoot. Also, when the soldiers were loaded with packs of over 100lbs (45 kg) (up to 150lbs (70 kg)in some cases), the lack of arch support crippled the feet of many troops. [1]
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