Japanese Uniform

[volatile]

Quick question to all you uniform buffs. What is the strapping / binding round the calves in these Japanese WW2 field uniforms (and repros)?

 

[LaMedicine]

Not a uniform buff, but from my knowledge.
These are called "getoru" in Japanese. I checked Kojien (Japanese equivalent of Merriam& Webster or Concise Oxford Dictionary) and it is derived from the French word guetres (sorry, I don't have the circumflex accent that comes over the first "e" on my keyboard)--gaiters in English--and are leggings made of thick strips of cotton, linen, raxa, or leather, and is either wound, or tied with strings.
Japanese Wiki Click "English" and it links to Gaiters.

 

[volatile]

Not a uniform buff, but from my knowledge.
These are called "getoru" in Japanese. I checked Kojien (Japanese equivalent of Merriam& Webster or Concise Oxford Dictionary) and it is derived from the French word guetres (sorry, I don't have the circumflex accent that comes over the first "e" on my keyboard)--gaiters in English--and are leggings made of thick strips of cotton, linen, raxa, or leather, and is either wound, or tied with strings.
Japanese Wiki Click "English" and it links to Gaiters.

Aaah! The more proper term seems to be "Puttee" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puttee). Thank you!

 

[Cobden]

Yes, the standard word in English for them is Puttees, derived from the Hindi word meaning bandages. Worn not just by the Japanese, but by the British from the mid 19th centry to the 1980's, and by pretty much every army during the first world war (the last photo shews them being worn by Brit re-enactors portraying the Boer and First World War. Scarily, I can go as to far as to say they are portraying the Rifle Brigade)


The are a complete pain to put on, but quite comfy

 

[DutchIndo]

Though that soldier is not wearing them I was always interested in their footwear. They had some boots called "Tabis" I believe they were split toed. I never understood puttees what did they do exactly ? Are they like 80's leg warmers ? They seem to much of a hassle to put on.

 

[filfoster]

Tatty tabis

Though that soldier is not wearing them I was always interested in their footwear. They had some boots called "Tabis" I believe they were split toed. I never understood puttees what did they do exactly ? Are they like 80's leg warmers ? They seem to much of a hassle to put on.

See reproductions at www.stewartsmilitaryantiques.com These look mighty uncomfortable.

 

[green papaya]

US soldier circa 1918

 

[Edward]

Though that soldier is not wearing them I was always interested in their footwear. They had some boots called "Tabis" I believe they were split toed. I never understood puttees what did they do exactly ? Are they like 80's leg warmers ? They seem to much of a hassle to put on.

I have always presumed that their practical purpose was to bind in the bottom of the trousers, keeping them out of mud etc, while maintaining a flexibility that one would not have in tall boots. That they were, no doubt, much cheaper to produce than the leather gaiters worn by (some?) officers (and earlier - Napoleonic, Crimean and Boer Wars) was I am sure part of the design. Seems to me that by WW2 they had been largely replaced by 6" canvas gaiters, which do something of the same job, though don't go so far up the leg. Nowadays, they seem to only have a cereminial function if they crop up at all, most combat forces, it seems, having gone over to taller, 'jump' style boots.

 

[LaMedicine]

Medically speaking, they also serve the same purpose as pressure stockings. Act as supporters, so, despite what many people may think, they are actually very practical. If you have to march long distance on foot, they help ease the fatigue.

Now, tabi and the two toed footwear lol
Here's a pair of regular tabi.

These are mine, and the type worn with kimonos. They aren't as uncomfortable as you might think, in fact, tabi and either zori or geta as footwear is less confining than a pair of shoes. Especially for a woman. I tend to wear kimonos these days, to events where I know I will be standing/walking around for more than a few hours because the footwear is easier on my feet than leather high heels
I presume the soldiers wore a type of tabi called jika-tabi, spelled underground tabi. The sole is rubber, and the rest cotton, and is still in broad use here, mainly by carpenters and construction workers, lumberjacks, gardners and farmers, because they are versitile and easy to maintain balance on uneven surfaces. I suppose Japanese soldiers may have felt more comfortable in them, and didn't tire as easily with the jika-tabi type footwears, because many of these men were drafted from rural areas, where people still wore traditional Japanese footwear rather than leather boots/shoes in their daily lives.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

You can still buy Puttees quite easily. The boys wear them when we do WW1 and their legs itch for ages when they take them off!

love that pic of the doughboy! :eusa_clap verrry nice!

 

[DutchIndo]

You can still buy Puttees quite easily. The boys wear them when we do WW1 and their legs itch for ages when they take them off!

love that pic of the doughboy! :eusa_clap verrry nice!

Not to be funny but I wonder if they shaved their legs first. I think you Brits also used the Puttees up into the 50s but a shorter version.

 

[draws]

Puttees

I have been heavily involved in US Army WWI groups for about 18 years now and have had quite a bit of experience wearing puttees.

First of all, puttees were not used by US forces until after they had arrived in western Europe. Instead, laced up leggings/gaiters were worn. They and their commanders had very little knowledge of trench warfare and they quickly found that the mud of the trenches tended to gather inside the leggings and cake in their trench boots. That is when the puttees were adopted using the experience of the British and French troops.

Practicality: Puttees were practical because the wrapping started tightly around the ankle of the boot with one tight loop with the end of the puttee folded up and over the second loop to lock the first loop in place. Then the knee was bent to strech the rear calf muscle while it was looped tightly up the leg until it ended at the small part of the leg just below the knee.

The last part of the process involved wrapping the 3 foot long tape at the end of the puttee around and just below the knee and then locked in place by looping the last tie under the preceeding loop and then tucked into the top of the puttee. If the lock at the bottom and top were not done properly, they would come undone at the most inopertune time. Also, it was important to not tie them too tight since that would constrain blood flow and be very painfull to wear. Experience over time proved most usefull.

Purpose: Puttees were usually made of heavy wool. When tied properly, they provided protection for the boot top since dirt was unable to embed in the boot but moisture could. What happens when wool gets wet and then dries in place? It shrinks and tightens and this process also helps form the puttee so that it could be worn over and over again. Also note that the trenches were often wet and muddy so at least they were functional in that regard.

Problems: Every other day, pairs of soldiers were sent to the second line trenches to remove the puttees and to rub eachothers feet since their feet became severely rigid and it felt like they were walking on stumps rather than feet (very painfull and dibilitating). Also, constant water exposure resulted in a common disability call trench foot where, if not taken care of properly, their feet would start to rot.

The WW1 photo below is a WW1 re-enactor at the Great War Association battle site in Newville Pa. and very closely depicts the uniform of the day for the US Army in Europe. Please ask if you have further questions. I'll try to assist.

 

[Cobden]

Not to be funny but I wonder if they shaved their legs first. I think you Brits also used the Puttees up into the 50s but a shorter version.

Long puttees were worn by the Brits from around 1860ish (unofficially at first), until the 1960's, though were only universal in temperate climates from 1902-40ish (in the tropics, from the 1890's to the early 1930's). Short puttees were worn originally by Highland units when in working order from around 1915/16, then expanded to be used by all troops in tropical uniforms in the early 1930s, and were used by all forces in temperate uniforms from the 1960's to the 1980's. I've never come across a reference to the shaving of legs, but of course for most of the life of the long puttee long johns were worn - the wool of the trouser and puttee wouldn't have come into contact with the skin. When worn with shorts, the long and short puttees were both worn with hosetops underneath

 

[DutchIndo]

Thanks guys and girls this was an interesting thread.

 

[Widebrim]

Nowadays, they seem to only have a cereminial function if they crop up at all, most combat forces, it seems, having gone over to taller, 'jump' style boots.

Yes. The U.S. Navy still uses gaiters/leggings for ceremonial purposes.