Inventories of war: Soldiers' kit from 1066 to 2014

OzCam

Now and again, The Telegraph does something exceptional.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-one/11006139/Inventories-of-war-soldiers-kit-from-1066-to-2014.html

On a winter’s day in 1915 the family of one Capt Charles Sorley – athlete, soldier and poet – received a package. It was his kit bag, sent home by his regiment from the Western Front, where Sorley had been killed, aged 20, at the Battle of Loos. Out of this bag came a life abridged: personal effects, items of uniform and a bundle of papers, from which emerged his now famous sonnet When You See Millions of the Mouthless Dead.

A new photographic survey of military kits now illustrates that curious combination. The photographer Thom Atkinson has recorded 13 military kits for his ‘Soldiers Inventories’ series.

folbotcar

Did anyone notice the name of the photographer. Thom Atkinson aka Tommy Atkinson. How very appropriate.

As for the photos, very interesting. Although I do think that some of the earlier kit represents very well equipped soldiers. Things like metal helmets and armour and swords were expensive. It looks like those guys were good battlefield scavengers.

A photo of the kit I was issued when I joined the FCA all those years would be very unimpressive: Boots, short jacket, trousers, greatcoat and beret.

Yes no shirts, belts, web and combat uniform. All had to be acquired privately.

tac foley

folbotcar wrote: »

A photo of the kit I was issued when I joined the FCA all those years would be very unimpressive: Boots, short jacket, trousers, greatcoat and beret.

Hence the desparaging nickname of 'Free coats and 'ats'.

I don't care if you were a reservist or a full-timist - you offered your person against a time of need and that counts in my book.

tac

tac foley

Picture #1 made me laff- not much call for a pith helmet on the Somme. The trench club/mace was not necessarily an item of issue, either.

Tried to look at the rest, but could not open any more, even though I could read the text for #2. That was enough for me - there were NO Anglo-Saxons at the battle of Hastings - King Alfred the Great had declared ALL his subjects to be English, almost two hundred years before.

Any other little niggly mistakes in there?

tac

krissovo

Packet of fags for the 2014 Sapper and a fecking bar mine made me chuckle.

iceage

And the groovey sandals are a nice addition.