Studded British Officer's Field Boots

[Nick in London]

Hi everyone, greetings from London, this is my first post. I've just bought these amazing boots. It looks as if they've been worn just once on a gravel surface. They're marked "C.W. Horrell 1943". I bought them to wear around town, but the studs aren't terribly practical - I imagine I'd just slide along the pavement (that's British for sidewalk!). I was thinking I could prize out the studs and fill the holes with a glue gun. But they're in such good condition it almost seems a crime to wear them. Here are some pics:

 

[Benproof]

Incredible pair of grand dad boots in even more incredible condition.

The two tone leather is very impressive. Makes modern shoemakers look like they have barely moved on from the last war.

The metal studs made it impractical to wear when it is raining or lightening. The rust from the studs will do in the leather sole from the first. The second is obvious...

 

[Nick in London]

I'm not sure whether they were meant to be two tone - it looks as if the smooth leather around the toe has been splashed with water. They probably haven't been polished for over 70 years, I bet they could drink a gallon of dubbin! I think I read somewhere that some officers liked to use burgundy polish to give a deeper shade - or maybe polish was in short supply and they used anything they could get! I should probably take them to a few olde worlde bootmakers and cobblers in London - hopefully I can find someone who remembers mending them back in the day.

 

[Benproof]

There is one old fashioned cobbler on Clapham High Street who has the skill to work with old 8mm leather soles like this. You shoukd wear them out and replace later. The straps look original and barely used.

Even mink oil will darken if the tone isn't ideal.

The little chevrons carefully etched for the handstitched sole is really impeccable attention to correct stitch placement or detailing.

 

[BlueTrain]

Those are interesting boots and I've never seen any just like them. They're sort of a cross between civilian, British army and late WWII American or Canadian. It's a curious combination of features. But given the Broad Arrow, they're undoubtedly military issue, though not necessarily army.

I have an ordinary pair of hobnailed ankle boots. I wear them regularly, though not often. They have lost three of four hobs, too, surprisingly. But they are really quite comfortable even if they make a crashing and crunching sound on pavement, less so on asphalt. The secret in comfort is nothing more than a proper fit in spite of the apparent stiffness of the leather and really of the entire boot.

As far as the color of the leather goes, I imagine there was regimental variation in the accepted shade of brown or tan and which was probably not maintained during wartime emergency conditions. I believe that, typically, officer's boots did not have studs.

 

[Edward]

Welcome to TFL...

I have a pair of 1950s squaddie boots, the regular black cap-toe which have these studs. I have worn them (surprisingly good on ice, if memory serves), but awfully noisy.... everyone will hear you coming a mile away. Clattering down a quiet street, I sounded like half a dozen squaddies. Or an Essex hen night.

I love the look of your boots - that moc toe design is really interesting. I've never seen it on military issue before: would be fascinating to find out more about them. Is the name on them a maker's mark, or is it inscribed like it's the original owner's name?

 

[Ian]

I met, in Los Angeles at the Rose Bowl market about 1999, a bloke who had bought, in Adelaide Australia, a 20foot shipping container of brand new WWI army boots with two types of cleats or hobnails. The samples he had were just too small for me but has had sold or the largest sizes ( blokes were a bit smaller back then) to prop dealers for movies and busy trying to shift the rest of them. God I wish I'd bought pair now.