These boots are made for marching...
...all over the dastardly Froschfresser.
They are both solidly made (in the traditional manner - sadly a dying art) and surprisingly comfortable when worn with suitably thick socks (being custom made to fit my huge webbed feet helps of course). I expected to be slipping over a lot with dozens of nails in each sole and whopping great heel irons, but was pleasantly surprised to find how good they actually are on paved surfaces. How exactly 'my' division coped whilst at home in Dresden however is quite beyond me - as visitors to the Elbflorenz of the Wettin Kings will know well, the centre of the Saxon capital has whopping great cobblestones everywhere...
I now have all the absolutely vital elements of my uniform together, and am visually fit to represent 'my' regiment at re-enactment events. Everything from here on out will just be a matter of improvements and embellishments - filling out my dogtags and ID documents properly, making a carrying strap for my gasmask tin (which is packed away in its carrying bag on my belt here), and getting hold of a steel helmet and bayonet (I have the frog and decorative Troddel for the latter already).
A cheeky comparison - my Great-Grandfather Arno Bierast in La Ville-aux-Bois-lès-Pontavert (3rd June 1915), and me in my garden (30th September 2009):
Later photos show that Arno was eventually (July 1916...) issued with a tunic that actually fitted him properly. :)
The full set, kindly taken by Mr Keef in our back garden. Click the image for a larger b/w version, or the link below for the new-fangled colour version.
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Next a gratuitous flap shot - sadly my backflaps and my belt kit are not hanging properly, but I don't quite have the knack of getting this bit right yet without a mirror. The Unteroffizier would give me a good bollocking for turning out like this:
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
They are both solidly made (in the traditional manner - sadly a dying art) and surprisingly comfortable when worn with suitably thick socks (being custom made to fit my huge webbed feet helps of course). I expected to be slipping over a lot with dozens of nails in each sole and whopping great heel irons, but was pleasantly surprised to find how good they actually are on paved surfaces. How exactly 'my' division coped whilst at home in Dresden however is quite beyond me - as visitors to the Elbflorenz of the Wettin Kings will know well, the centre of the Saxon capital has whopping great cobblestones everywhere...
I now have all the absolutely vital elements of my uniform together, and am visually fit to represent 'my' regiment at re-enactment events. Everything from here on out will just be a matter of improvements and embellishments - filling out my dogtags and ID documents properly, making a carrying strap for my gasmask tin (which is packed away in its carrying bag on my belt here), and getting hold of a steel helmet and bayonet (I have the frog and decorative Troddel for the latter already).
A cheeky comparison - my Great-Grandfather Arno Bierast in La Ville-aux-Bois-lès-Pontavert (3rd June 1915), and me in my garden (30th September 2009):
Later photos show that Arno was eventually (July 1916...) issued with a tunic that actually fitted him properly. :)
The full set, kindly taken by Mr Keef in our back garden. Click the image for a larger b/w version, or the link below for the new-fangled colour version.
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Next a gratuitous flap shot - sadly my backflaps and my belt kit are not hanging properly, but I don't quite have the knack of getting this bit right yet without a mirror. The Unteroffizier would give me a good bollocking for turning out like this:
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
Colour version
