Talk:Ammunition boot

Image

Considering that so many 20th century military boots and shoes are so similar in design, this article really needs an illustrative photo. --Michael K Smith^Talk 18:11, 5 August 2011 (UTC)

DMS

Two things: should the DMS boot really be included here? And the citation in the final paragraph needs sorting out. --2.217.41.132 (talk) 12:29, 25 September 2011 (UTC)

In addition, the boot in the photo captioned as being an "ammunition" boot appears (at a glance anyway, I'm no boot expert) to have a moulded rubber sole, which makes some of the distinctions in the text difficult to understand. TooManyFingers (talk) 18:50, 28 December 2019 (UTC)

Also, the final sentence references Boots DMS as being identical to Boots GS/Ammo boots. Whilst they are similar, there is very clearly a difference in the way the heel counter/heel cap(?!) joins to the rest of the upper - I have amended to try to clarify. — Preceding unsigned comment added by BH530481 (talk • contribs) 11:06, 26 August 2022 (UTC)

Etymology

The article proposes that the boots are called "ammunition" boots because "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)..." This appears to be recent pseudo-etymology, much like a backronym. Rather, "ammunition" was a once widespread word, borrowed from the French, meaning "military issue" or "general issue"—hence, 'ammunition bread', 'ammunition shirt' and 'ammunition boots'. See, for example, William Duane's "A Military Dictionary" (1810), or this discussion of 'ammunition bread' from 1796. Keri (talk) 17:03, 8 June 2015 (UTC)

Another small issue is the term "crunchies" That term is applied to infantry or any other foot mobile soldier around tanks. The reasoning is for the noise a human makes when a tank runs over them. The term, like many military terms, has multiple meanings. It is both literal and a rather macabre warning that a 60 ton tank is not your friend. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ejplaysintraffic (talk • contribs) 04:28, 19 September 2015 (UTC)

Date of introduction

The article states that "ammunition boots...were the standard footwear for the British Army from the late 1880s until the late 1950s" and that "the original Pattern 1037 was made from 1887 to 1907". However, "ammunition boots" were certainly in use by 1855 under that name—and are mentioned in contemporary reports from the Crimea—and the earliest date I've seen them mentioned specifically in connection with British boots is 1843, in the Hampshire Advertiser. The article is factually compromised by an assumption that only the later hobnailed boots are "ammo boots". Keri (talk) 19:49, 8 June 2015 (UTC)

I have found a source that points to the year 1864, if a source that points to an earlier usage of the term is found, it would be greatly appreciated if it could be used to replace my one. Mugtheboss (talk) 12:20, 4 September 2022 (UTC)

Manufacture

It is extremely unlikely that the boots were ever manufactured at a factory at Woolwich Arsenal. Prior to 1855 boots were manufactured and sourced locally by commanding officers. After this date they still appear to have been manufactured around the country by civilian bootmakers, but sent to the depots at the Tower, Weedon etc for distribution to units. Keri (talk) 13:41, 9 June 2015 (UTC)