Historical information

A puttee is a cloth band that was wound round a soldier’s leg from their ankle to their knee. They were designed to provide support when walking and protect against harsh weather conditions. Many Australian soldiers developed a painful medical condition during their service on the Western Front called trench foot. The primary causes were wet feet and unsanitary conditions but puttees were also partly to blame as they limited circulation to the lower leg and foot. These puttees are a collectors item, they are the real thing, used in WW1 and made a short return in WW2 and were used as ceremonial dress in Malaysia in the 1960s, these ones are WW2 issue.

Significance

Used as military dress in world war one, briefly in world war II and ceremonial dress in Malaysia in the 1960's

Physical description

Olive green wrapping wool mix wrapping 106cm long and q2cm wide with tape 103 cm long 1.5 cm wide

Inscriptions & markings

Nil