BACKGROUND: Besides the helmet, the tall marching boot is probably one of the most instantly recognizable items of the German military. However the German concern with leather shortages was evident as early as September 1939 when issue of the traditional tall leather marching boot was restricted to personnel serving in the field. Regulations in November 1939 shortened the tall leather marching boot in an attempt to conserve leather. In early 1940 the lace-up ankle boots were first introduced as a further leather conservation method and by 1941 the ankle boot was issued to all new recruits in place of the marching boot. By 1943 with escalating leather shortages the gaiters and lace up ankle boots were issued to all replacement personnel and manufacture of the tall marching boots was discontinued altogether. As with other issued items the gaiters had a prescribed method of wear with the securing buckles to the rear and the bottom, scalloped, edge to the front to prevent excessive chafing. Although the short lace-up ankle boots and gaiters were completely serviceable they proved quite unpopular with the troops and a great deal of effort was put into the care and maintenance of the tall marching boots by those personnel who had retained them. Of Note: As a result of the gaiter’s unpopularity the were often referred to with derogatory nicknames such as, Timoschenko-socken, (Timoshenko-socks), referring to Marshal of the Soviet Union Semyon Timoshenko, and Rückzugsgamaschen, (Retreat Gaiters).

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 5 7/8" tall, 14 3/4" wide, coarsely woven, dual-ply, olive drab canvas construction gaiters with machine stitched seams, black and tan leather and matte grey painted, magnetic sheet metal fittings. The gaiters each have a small, central, internal, vertical, stiffener. The gaiters have straight cut, top edges and two subtle curves to the bottom edges to accommodate the foot when worn. The interior bottom edges of the gaiters each have two, half moon shaped, blackened, leather reinforcement panels machine stitched in place. One end of the exterior of each gaiter has a horizontal, tan leather buckling strap near both the top and bottom edges with three, punched, length adjustment eyelets with corresponding, leather reinforced, matte grey painted, pronged, magnetic sheet metal, buckles to the other ends. The buckles only retain hints of their original matte grey paint and show moderate to heavy surface spotting and rusting. The interior side of one gaiter has a faint, illegible, black inkstamp and the reverse of one of the closure straps to each gaiter has a faint, purple inkstamped RB number. Of Note: The RB numbers, Reichsbetriebnummer, (National factory code numbers), were introduced in late 1942 and were intended to replace the manufacturers marks on garments and equipment to conceal the manufactures name and location from the allies, to prevent bombing raids on German industrial factories. The gaiters are in overall fairly good condition with a few small picks and pulls, a couple of small rips and tears and some rust colored staining.

GRADE ***                             PRICE $132.00