BROWN BOOTS?

[Jetset 88]

I have seen a b&w photo of a WW2 RAF bomber and its crew standing in front, which has been 'coloured' by a professional and is as good now as a modern-day hi-res image.
A friend has a similar picture that they want coloured but we notice that the first one may have a nit-picking error which we want to avoid copying.
Does anyone know what colour Bomber Command's aircrew and groundcrew shoes/boots were in 1943-44?
The original photo that we admire has them coloured brown and yet I am convinced that they would have been black. A nitpicking point, I know,, but attention to such minor details is necessary.
Does anyone know the answer, or otherwise know whether the RAF Museum at Hendon has a 'fashion' adviser whom I could contact?

[stevef]

It probably doesn't apply in this case but during the filming of The Dambusters at RAF Hemswell, screen 'officers' wore brown shoes to distinguish themselves from RAF real officers. This was to avoid confusion and airmen saluting them by mistake. The different colour didn't show up in the black and white film.

[osborne]

And we could 'ear the neighbours all remark
"What, 'im chief mourner? Wot a blooming lark!
Why 'e looks more like a Bookmaker's clerk...
In brahn boots!"

[Fareastdriver]

If you are talking about the fur lined boots worn by aircrew than IIRC my father's (Halifax) were brown They were not leather as such but a smooth swede.

[Cornish Jack]

Could have been either???
I would have thought that most likely black, with the removeable upper to allow them to be 'converted' to shoes for escape purposes. However, our initial issue in 54 were pairs of the super, fleece-lined suede version which were introduced during the war ... but when? If the complete boot is visible, it should be possible to identify - the suede variety were usually worn outside the flying suit (or uniform).

[WB627]

My Dad's were brown suede lined with an off white coloured lambs fleece. I used them for lying under my Austin 1100 whilst undertaking repairs in mid minter during the mid/late 1970's, as did my Dad with my mums cars. Wish we had looked after them a bit better.

[old,not bold]

My Dad's were brown suede lined with an off white coloured lambs fleece. So were my Dad's boots. The suede seemed to darken with age. His Lanc exploded after a night-fighter attack, and by the time he got the boots home after 15 months in SL III, Long March and so on they were very much the worse for wear.

[Jetset 88]

Osborne,
Aaah Those were the poetic lines that I was trying to recall when I wrote the post title. Who said them, I ponder?

[Bayek Itsarumdu]

...airmen saluting them by mistake.

:hmm: airmen and junior officers, I would think.

[Herod]

"Brahn Boots" R.P. Weston and Bert Lee 1940. Made famous of course by Stanley Holloway

[proteus6]

Link to song (https://www.goodfuneralguide.co.uk/2012/07/brahn-boots-stanley-holloway/)Brahn Boots – Stanley Holloway

[Jetset 88]

Thanks gents I should have thought of Stanley Holloway - of course ...... we had a postman once whose boots were always well-polished and I recall my Mum always calling him 'Brahn Boots'.
Proteus 6 - Civvy Brits or 99 / 511 ??

[NRU74]

I left South Cerney in early 1962 and we were issued with flying kit prior to leaving. Several of our course were issued with the WW2 brown fleece lined boots but most with those black ones you could (allegedly) cut the tops off so they looked like shoes.

[proteus6]

Thanks gents I should have thought of Stanley Holloway - of course ...... we had a postman once whose boots were always well-polished and I recall my Mum always calling him 'Brahn Boots'.
Proteus 6 - Civvy Brits or 99 / 511 ??
@jetset 88 no connection to civvy or 99/511 , it was another reason

[Fareastdriver]

I left South Cerney in early 1962 and we were issued with flying kit prior to leaving.

Including leather flying gauntlets of which the left was made by one manufacturer and the right by another.

[ShyTorque]

.

Including leather flying gauntlets of which the left was made by one manufacturer and the right by another.

So that explains why the left hand never what the right was doing.

We were issued with black boots for winter and brown ones for summer wear. I used to prefer the summer ones because they were shorter and more comfortable. Even so, I never did manage a second career in the film industry.

[NRU74]

.

Including leather flying gauntlets of which the left was made by one manufacturer and the right by another.

Do you remember the ‘Drawers, short cellular, I can’t remember what the long johns were called ?

[teeteringhead]

stevefIt probably doesn't apply in this case but during the filming of The Dambusters at RAF Hemswell, screen 'officers' wore brown shoes to distinguish themselves from RAF real officers. This was to avoid confusion and airmen saluting them by mistake. The different colour didn't show up in the black and white film.

Apparently Richard Todd - who had held a commission and was (possibly) still a reservist of some sort - insisted on wearing black boots/shoes and getting the salutes!

[rolling20]

stevef

Apparently Richard Todd - who had held a commission and was (possibly) still a reservist of some sort - insisted on wearing black boots/shoes and getting the salutes!
Para D Day Captain I believe.

[Blue_Circle]

Para D Day Captain I believe.
He was one of the party who captured Pegasus Bridge. When playing John Frost in The Longest Day he talks to 'himself' in one scene.

[Ripline]

From my WW2 RAF reenacting days....

Brown suede type with front zip, lambskin lining and moulded soles were issued to all BC crews.

Black 'escape boots' ('43 pattern) were issued to some BC crews likley to be shot down over enemy territory. Consisting of a stout leather military shoe with attached black suede gaiter, sheepskin lining, side zip and escape knife in a pouch on r/h leg inner lining. The gaiters, once detached with said knife, could be zipped together to form a serviceable body warmer.The shoes, once scuffed and muddied, would pass as workman's wear, I have no idea how one would pass off the heated Sidcot suit as one attempted evasion, but at least cross-country trekking would be possible with one's silk escape map and compass.....

Black leather flying boots, shorter than the escape boots, were issued to most other pilots, especially FC.

No prizes for guessing which type I have - they're extremely comfortable to stomp around in all day!

Ripline

[AARON O'DICKYDIDO]

Dark suit and brown shoes - all the rage today! I hate it.


AARON.