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Despite the standardisation of army equipment within the British Commonwealth the AIF soldier always managed to stay unique. The standard uniform worn by nearly all Dominion
soldiers in WW1 was the British Pattern khaki 1903 SD tunic and breeches. The Australian Army followed its own path and designed the Pattern 1914 SD tunic for its soldiers. This workman like woollen, serge, khaki jacket
was cut loose-necked and baggy, and detailed with bone or Bakelite buttons. The tunic was complemented by baggy woollen trousers and sturdy, lace-up; ankle-length boots made entirely of leather. The legs below the
knee were wrapped in khaki puttees. Mounted units (Light Horse, Artillery, Service Corp and Engineers etc) wore identical tunics to the infantry but had breeches cut more in the jodhpurs style (breeches-mounted) to
facilitate riding astride a horse. Mounted troops did not use puttees but wore the leather cavalry gaiters.The tunic was loose fitting to allow movement and air to circulate freely. There were four large
pockets in the front of the tunic as well as an internal shell dressing pocket on the inside left front skirt. A belt was sewn on about the tunic and had a simple brass buckle to the front. This belt was made of
the same material as the rest of the tunic. The rear of the tunic was heavily pleated with a double fold extending down the spine. This fold and some extra material across the shoulders were to protect those areas from
the sun. All metal badges were of oxy black brass and consisted of a rising sun badge on each collar and a "Australia" title on each epaulette. Unit colour patches sewn to the sleeves just below the epaulette. Under the
tunic was worn a grey flannel pull over shirt know commonly as a greyback. This style of shirt dates back to the mid 19th Century. The typical 1AIF soldier was issued two hats. The first of these was the hat, fur-felt
or slouch hat with its oxy black Rising Sun badge. Light Horse slouch hats were also identified by the emu plumes behind the rising sun. This hat became the most readily identifiable symbol of Australian soldiery.
1AIF soldiers were also issued with the British Pattern 1903 SD cap. These are often seen in pictures of recruits at training camps and during the conflict at Gallipoli. After Gallipoli most diggers left their SD
caps at home. Puttees were nine feet long strips of woollen material, 3 inches wide, bound round and around the lower leg from ankle to knee and were intended to stop water and mud sloshing into boots and breeches.
Nearly all dominion soldiers generally cursed them as worse than useless. They were prone to cut off the circulation when too tight because they shrank in the wet, and unwound when too loose, hampering movement.
In the field the uniform was worn with Pattern 03 webbing
for mounted units (9 pouch bandoleer for LH and 5 pouch bandoleer for service corp, engineers, artillery etc) and the P08 mills cotton or P08/15 leather infantry webbing. |
