Research: Army Trousers

 I've been finding it difficult to find good images of army trousers in the First World War. I've been successful in finding images of men in full suits, jacket including. I've been able to find some good detail for how they looked wrapped with the putties, but not at the waistband. At this point my research is somewhat inconclusive. I've made an appointment to look at a historically re-created pair later this week but here is some of my initial research:

Masters, J. (1965). Fourteen Eighteen. London: 

Michael Joseph Ltd.

Carmen. W.Y. (1957). British Military Uniforms from 

Contemporary Pictures, Henry VII to the     

Present Day. London: Leonard Hill Limited.

Liddle, P. (1979). Testimony of War 1914-1918. Great Britain: Butler and Tanner Ltd. 

Out of all my research images for the trousers I feel like these are some of the stronger. The first image is of a smart young officer, maybe some context into what the soldier might have been like before he deserted. I think this is a good image of how the putties might have been wrapped and the way the trousers hang around the knee. The second image (citation beginning with Liddle) is a great and rare image of the back of the trousers. It's easy to see how high they sit on the waist and the fish tail backs and where the braces sit and function. The third image is of a guardsman and is a good reference for how the trousers and putties look together.

All three pattern images from: Shep, R.L. (1998). The Great War: Styles and Patterns of the 1910’s. California: R.L. Shep Productions.

 This first pattern is of military 'service' knickers. This was one of the first patterns I feel could be useful in drafting my pattern. The back piece has a fish-tale back and they are clearly fuller around the hip to the knee. This might be more comfortable for the actor than having long trousers wrapped with gaiters however this pattern might not fit the rank of our soldier.

This pattern is not for a military trouser but rather a suit trouser from a pattern of that time. Since it is a long trouser that might be more useful  and there is no waistband which would fit in with the design. Also the back would be easy to make into a fish-tale back.

This is an interesting pattern option as well because it has a few different options. There is a full length trouser option, although it has a separate waist-band, which wouldn't really fit the design. The other options all have the potential to be drafted then altered to fit the design. Perhaps they could be made longer to be wrapped up or stay shorter and then popper into the putties. 

Through my research so far it has become clear that finding a real physical example would be the best research and the most effective research I could do. With what I have found so far I have many different options to discuss with my designer and to consider when I am drafting the pattern.