ww2 British 1942 dated Low quarter shoes (quite unusal marks)

[nicolas75]

Hello

I wen trough those unsual marked British 1942 dated Low quarter shoes

Plain low quarters mode (number of eyelets, manufacturer marks, sole construction, peeble grained etc )... but the toe zone is pretty uncommon as i never saw such additionnal sewn to make it look like more stylized civilian style

There is 3 options :

- Civilian market purchase and heavilly "broad arrow marked" to avoid pilfering and it to be ressl in the civilian market

- A test sample marked as so with the Arrow

- We have a manufacturer broad arrow controler that went mad with his heat mark stamp

What's your opinion ? dod you ever went through such shoes ?

Thanks

[Marc Sherriff]

Maybe they are a Prisoner of War (PoW) issue.

Marc

[tubist73]

Well, I have never seen shoes like these before. They do seem to be British issue from the date, maker and size markings. The soles remind me of Royal Navy deck shoes, but the uppers are very strange in style.

I can't say why they have such large arrows stamped all over. These can't be issue stamps, being so large (there are also standard broad arrow marks on the soles already) but they have obviously been added for a reason. Prisoner of war seems unlikely with such complicated shoes but that guess is as good as anything I could offer.

My only other thought was some kind of shoe for wear with Scottish service dress, to be worn under spats and gaiters. But then this mode of dress was rarly used in 1942 except for musicians and similar troops on parade.

Anyway, I'm interested to see if someone has an answer for these shoes.

Matthew

[peter monahan]

I can't imagine any sergeant being happy with men wearing these, even under spats. I know a number of people who've had broad arrow stamps / branding irons made up for marking wooden canteens and such and my suspcion is that, whatever these were originally, someone has decided to have fun with the stamp on a pair of defenceless low quarters.

[lnijherald]

The absence of metal eyelets and the use of wooden nails may suggest munition workers shoes?

Luc

[uscob]

Also my guess.
Here are some more modern ones:
http://www.berlin-military.com/Speci...ance-Factories

[nicolas75]

Thanks for your answer, we are close to the solution i guess

Concerning markings, here is what i think :

Not navy as the marks is an oval anchor stamp
Not air force as the marks are a crown
Sure ground forces / army as they use the broad arrow symbol

Thanks

[nicolas75]

Btt

[peter monahan]

Well spotted, Luc!

[byterock]

POW shoes maybe?

Well marked so they would be easy to spot and hard to conceal perhaps?