Unofficial history of the Australian & New Zealand Armed Services 

 Search  &  Help Recruits Military History Hall of Heroes Indigenous Slouch hat + ARMY Today Uniforms Badges

 Colours & Flags Weapons Food Equipment Assorted Medals Armour Navy Air Power 

Nurses - Medical Tributes Poetry - Music Posters & Signs Leaders The Enemy Humour Links Killing Anzac

Equipment issued to Australian soldiers

BOOTS. An Army might march on it's stomach as Napoleon said but while you are walking it helps if you have decent foot-wear. 

When you get there a few other bits and pieces can help too. Chose a subject from the list below and Click a link to see what the troops used.

For details on BOOTS

WW1 issue brown hob nailed boots

General purpose boots called Boots, GP. First issued during Viet Nam war. Troops are now issued with a pair to be polished for ceremonial uniform and 1 pair of non polish brown for bush work. 

Click to open sub category

Category Index

1st Prize for Stupid

This Canadian WW1 invention must take the cake for the stupidity. It was supposed to be used as a shield when firing a rifle through it and then as a shovel when digging.

Modelled on a Swiss invention this device was intended to be used as both a shield and a shovel. Patented in the name of one of Sir Sam Hughes private secretaries it was a complete failure in every respect. The handle was too short, the shovel too dull to dig with, the hole in the blade was too low to shoot through unless mounted on a low pile of dirt and worst of all it was not bullet proof. 

The entire shipment of 22,000 shovels which had cost the (Canadian) government over $29,000 was sold off as scrap in 1917 for $1,400. . .and just to add insult to injury, a right handed shooter would have almost no protection even if the thing was successful as the aperture is on the wrong side.

Click to open sub category

Statistics : Over 35 million page visitors since  11 Nov 2002  

 

Email  

 Search   Help     Guestbook   Get Updates   Last Post    The Ode      FAQ     Digger Forum

Click for news

Digger History:  an unofficial history of the Australian & New Zealand Armed Forces