Feet - Ostfront, Summer 41

[sdr633]

I'm looking for information on how the Landsers
would have cared for their feet as they marched
across Russia during the summer of '41.

[John W. Howard]

Hello SDR:
Good question. I can remember reading that some Landsers adopted the Russian method of wrapping the feet with cloth as their socks were ground into mush while marching. Apparently there is an art to doing this. I never knew why the landsers took to doing this: whether it was because they were unable to obtain new socks or because they found cloth superior to socks in protecting their feet. I hope this helps. Best wishes.

[HeinrichFrey]

Hello SDR!
The infantrymen equipment included so called "Fußlappen". I would translate it with "foot rags". Socks they only wore with the low shoes. Veterans told me that this was an old tradition in German army. Don`t forget that the boys had to march up to 80 miles per day. To make the "Knobelbecher" fitting right, you had to tingle in them. Before the first use, not during the march A short instruction: http://wk2reenactment.siteboard.de/wk2r ... ut800.html . My grandpa told me that they where used instead of socks.

[sebastian]

very usefull drwaing,explains everything!

[Tom Houlihan]

I never knew why the landsers took to doing this: whether it was because they were unable to obtain new socks or because they found cloth superior to socks in protecting their feet.

In addition to what Heinrich said, I'd be willing to bet that adequate rags were easier to come across than new socks!

[HeinrichFrey]

Hello Tom!
Indeed. The standard equipment of an soldier included 2 pairs of socks and 1 pair of footrags. Against the cold russian winters the soldiers should take newspapers to protect their feet. I wonder if "Völkischer Beobachter" or "Der Stürmer" made the "boys" (our grandpas) marching and fighting better.

[John W. Howard]

My feet are aching already, just thinking about marching 80 miles on newspapers, rags, or socks

[sebastian]

imagine the smell coming of tze feet after 1 month of marching and only having 2 pair of socks and a wrap,that would be not so nice i guess

[HeinrichFrey]

Therefore the recruits pissed in their new boots. And dirt is the best camouflage.

[Yuri]

Russian puttee (Fußlappen) differs from German, it has the big sizes (a summer variant 35x65 the sm, and in winter a variant can reach the sizes 45x90 sm). The principle use of Russian puttee other also exists many ways of its winding on a foot. I, for example, (when passed military service in the motorised infantry) have studied thoroughly and used four ways of winding in practice. It is quite enough of it to create comfortable conditions for a foot at fulfilment of a long march on a cross-country terrain. And in this case socks to use it is not necessary! The matter is that at correct winding of puttees (Fußlappen) on feet at present time will be active to "work" only its one half (or even the third part). And other half (that, that will be wrapped up round a shin) will "have a rest" as though. As consequence not the working half can dry even then when you move.
Periodically replacing (through each 4-6 km of a march) "working" half of puttees can be reached that your foot always will be is in dry conditions.
Puttees happen two kinds - summer of a thin cloth and winter of a dense cloth (the truth, there is an intermediate variant - autumn-spring).
The Russian soldier should have at itself of three pairs the puttees, one steam the worker on a season. It is necessary to replace working pair of puttees every seven days with the new. Two others steams (one summer, the second winter) carry in a stock in a backpack. In the winter in about time of strong frosts two puttees reel up on a foot at once - and there are no problems! No frost is terrible. And if between them to lay the newspaper "Pravda" ("Truth") that it is possible to go safely to the North Pole!
Not to spoil a foot the infantryman should wash them every day, and is even better carry out this procedure more often. In the winter with it problems do not arise, snow always near at hand. Has rubbed off a foot snow, has wiped its non-working half of puttee and business is ready! That is the puttee in a campaign can carry out a role of a foot towel.

Well, if in the summer 41 years German guys made marches on 80 miles a day then it turns out, that by 44 year they have learnt to overcome for a day on 100 miles, the truth, in other direction.
Actually in the summer 41 years extent of a day march infantry units did not exceed 20 km (about 15 miles), and in the summer 44 no more than 25 km (about 20 miles).

[sdr633]

Thanks for all the information.

Does anybody know whether the troops were issued foot powder or lotion?

Stephen

[Helmut]

Servus,
I don't think "foot rags " is a correct translation. I think 'foot wrappings" is more correct.

Also, 80 miles a day? That seems very hard to believe. Perhaps 80 kilometers, but even that seems excessive.

Regards

Helmut

[HeinrichFrey]

Hello Helmut,
hard to believe but true and an exception. Nevertheless the troops had to be brought to the frontline following the fast tanks. And don`t forget that the german army wasn`t as motorized as the motion pictures might make us believe. The horses and carriages had been the backbones of the infantry transportation system. The other way round the withdrawel on the eastern front especially in Romania 44 made the troops marching night and day. They even slept during the march. Who was not able to do this was dead. I know this from bavarian veterans.

[Franz Repper]

Foot wraps were used by the Finnish troops as well right up to the 50s and I think beond
I have some plase the order of march and Distance that troops were expected to march per day

[Franz Repper]

Ok here it is
SPEED OF MOVEMENT
The figures below are approximate figures
Infantry (short stretches).............4 mph (day).............4mph (night)
Infantry (Narmal halts)................. 3 mph .................... 3mph
Mounted troops...........................6 mph .....................6 mph
Cyclists .................................... 8 mph ..................... 8 mph
Motor-cyclists............................ 25mph...................... 12½ mph
Wheeld vehicles.......................... 15½ mph.................. 9mph
Semi tracked ............................. 18½ ........................ 9½ mph
Tracked Vehicles.......................... 12½ ....................... 7½ mph
Distances to be covered in a day are given as
Infantry......... 20 miles (an undestatement ) *
Tracked..........90...125 miles
Wheeled,Motor cycles....150..220 miles
*this comment was printed in the war office booklet