repairing of ammo boots during ww2

[ALLAN PRICE]

hi,
anyone have an idea who would repair ammo boots either in the field or back in barracks?(WW2 British army)
would it be down to the individual soldier or would the boots be sent into stores to be fixed(RASC?)
any help would be great!
thanks guys,
Allan.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Allan, welcome to the forum!

Soldiers would seldom have to repair their own boots. Maybe they might add the odd lost stud or the like, but bigger repairs, like new soles or heels, would be done by members of the RAOC.

Cheers, Ade.

[Nige H]

Major repairs would be undertaken by an Army cobbler as the soles need to be stitched to the boot upper using a specialised sewing machines something along the lines of a Singer 45K67 or 45K93 which has a round horizontal post instead of a flat bed or table, these type's of machines are known as a Cylinder arm's and was in quite common use throughout the saddle and boot trade during WW2.

Nige.

[ALLAN PRICE]

thanks for the replys guys,i know soldiers replaced individual hobs as i've been told by several veterans that they had a box in the barracks,along with a cobblers last.
i was just interested in major repairs such as heel & toe plates & soles & heel replacements,& wondered what Regiment would do this as a re-enactor,one of my impressions I want to do is a field cobbler,as i have lots of old equipment(lasts,hobs,horseshoes ect)& wanted to wear the correct capbadge.
so thanks again,
Al