ARMY CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR

ARMY CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

16/I/2026

 

I was watching the excerpts of the ‘Army Day Parade’ held in Jaipur. The show put up by the Army was exemplary. It reminded me of the Chinese Military parade, ours was far better. I wish I could have witnessed it in person.

 

What impressed me was the showcasing of the ‘Bhairav troops’ in their ‘combat regalia’. Especially the Sikh troops. Camo painted faces, Khaki pagris and the call of Bole-so-Nihal could shake up the enemy in his grave.

 

What caught my attention was their boots. Keeping their tasks and deployment in mind in various sectors, those boots would be wind proof, water proof, light weight, comfortable, flexible, durable with enhanced grip and ankle support.

 

The contingent was not in ‘Tez chal’ but ‘daur ke kadam taal mode’. Which implies, they do not walk but are always on the run to annihilate the enemy. Their boots had to support their operational requirements. I started drifting to the good old days.

 

Black leather boots with thirteen nails, a horse shoe in the heel and a steel plate on its toe were our main stead. You did drill, walked up the mountain, polished them for inspections to the extent of seeing your face, even ran two mile and ten mile runs wearing them. Climbing mountains was as easy or difficult with them. Woolen OG socks used to be the accompaniment. Mind you, laces could not have even a single twist.

 

Jungle boots were not an issue item. One had to visit the ‘Kabari market’ where one could also get all sorts of dangris and cotton combat dresses at throw away prices. If you got caught wearing jungle boots for BPET, it was considered cheating of sorts. But they were comfortable and easy to move around in.

 

One exception was when I went paratrooping. We wore “Boot Patties”, which we wore while horse riding in NDA instead of Anklets. Now we have para boots. The only improvement in the anklets was that to keep them well fastened to your legs, they had increased the number of fasteners to three instead of two on each anklet.

 

Then came an era of ‘DMS boots’ (Directly Moulded Sole). ‘Flex’ was the preferred company by officers. They lasted long and were the best quality on this side of the Ganges. An officer had to have two pairs minimum. One for general duties and one for office and ceremonials.

 

‘OP shoes’ (Oxford Pattern) made by BATA were worn for breakfast, lunch, and dinner till the time 'Brogue shoes’ were introduced. I was not much of a fan of the ‘pock marked’ shoes. But then, one doesn’t have a choice in the Army.

 

By the way, all these had to be procured by the officer himself, increasing the size and volume of his boot collection. Before he could complete 9 years of service and be awarded the greenish medal with ribbon which was called ‘Hitler ki mooch’, one steel box used to be dedicated to his shoes itself.

 

PT shoes those days were another non issue item for officers. Jawans used to wear brown coloured ones and the officers wore white. If the Paltan would allow, then you could wear canvas shoes made by Bata or BSC, with green lines on the side. The only pain in the neck used to be ‘blancoing’ them.

 

Faujis know what Blanco is. It used to be a round tin container, a little bigger than the cherry blossom boot polish container which came in two colours. OG (Olive green) to colour your FSMO (Field service Marching Order) or Pithoo as it was known and white, which the naval guys used for their shoes and we pongos (army guys) wet it and applied it on our PT shoes.

 

Come rain or hail, thunderstorm or flood your PT shoes and PT dress had to be immaculately white. ‘Karrant’ 2ICs had no qualms in dishing out additional night guard checks if they weren’t spotless white.

 

Sneakers, and sports shoes were unheard of when I was commissioned in 1985. Later, a company called “Action” came into the footwear scene. I still remember my first sneakers which one could wear only for picnics, or during travel or when I played my favourite sport Hockey and that too while playing matches at Division or Command level. Otherwise wearing sneakers was taboo.

 

Today, when I sometimes cross a body of troops running on the road, they are in their regimental coloured tracksuits, Adidas and Nike sneakers and you name the brand. They all look so smart.

 

I remember purchasing a blue track suit and a grey full sleeves T shirt from Belgaum while doing Infantry YOs, where they used to knit woollen ones in hosiery factories there. Behind the track suit one had got weaved the following, “ MECHANISED, WE WILL DRIVE IN SOMETIME” and on my T-shirt “SINGLE” which I was then. Once I got married, I handed it over to my younger brother which he wore for many years.

 

Dress and equipment have improved many folds in the Army. We are out of the era of ‘Coat Parkas’ to ‘down feather jackets’. Even the snow boots are far superior than the ones we wore in the early 90s. From staying in parachute and blanket lined bunkers to Fiberglass huts, the accommodation in high altitude is far more comfortable to stay in today.

 

Somehow, I was in love with those brown PT shoes which I could never wear in the Battalion but I picked them up from a Kabari and wore them at home. My friends always used to ask me “free milta hai” I just used to wink at them.

 

Some of us would remember the high boots of a (DR) dispatch rider. From brown PT shoes to modern footwear, we have moved on.

 

Can someone list out the improvements in clothing and footwear which has come about in the Indian Army? Thank God the Robots do not wear clothes. What all is in store for the future? I wonder!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

©® NOEL ELLIS