US AUSTRALIAN ARMY BOOTS WWII WORLD WAR 2 II PATTERN TYPE 10085 VERY RARE

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You are bidding on a rare pair of Army boots made by Fostars, an Australian shoe company based in a suburb of Sydney . Fostars had factories in Chippendale, Sydney . They contracted with the military for boots during World War II in the 1940’s. They do not have cleats. On the bottom it says: Fostars 1942 OO D EN and Kenworth on the Heel. They have very little wear. I did some research on the boots. I received the following information: (Please note that the ones I am selling are not the ones with the metal toe or with cleats) Australian Army Boots (Pattern 10085) Metal Toe Tip The underside (sole) of the above pictured Pattern 10085 Australian Army Boots with the metal toe tip. An exerpt from the Second World War Army Pamphlet titled "CARE OF THE FEET - NOTES FOR FOOT ORDERLIES" and dated 1942 states:- IRON TOE-TIPS are a useful protection when marching on rough ground, particularly on long marches when the soldier is apt to drag his feet and wear out the toes of his boots and when marching in close order with other men in front of him, he finds difficulty in avoiding the stones and other inequalities of the road. Australian Army Boots (Pattern 10085) With Jungle Cleats Colloquially called "Jungle Boots" or Australian Army Boots with "Jungle Cleats"; they are simply an Australian Army Boot Pattern 10085 with the brass cleats nailed to the sole of the boot. These cleats were added as a result of lessons learnt during the Kokoda campaign, in order to add traction to the sole in muddy and slippery conditions. A variation in the design of the metal heel plate can also be seen - when compared to the image above (horse shoe type); in that the heel plate on this particular pair is complete around it's circumference. Image courtesy of the Kokoda Historical Collection. (I deleted the picture so no one would be confused as to which boots I am selling) The first account that I have ever read, regarding the use of these Jungle Cleats by Australian troops in the field - features on page 326 of Paul Ham's book, titled "KOKODA". Referring to the men of the 16th Infantry Brigade (2/1st Battalion, 2/2nd and 2/3rd Battalions) he states "The new troops acclimatised swiftly to the conditions. Their training in Ceylon had proved useful, and they moved with comparative ease, even finding time to admire the 'beautiful butterflys'. Their sprigged boots offered better grip on the muddy slopes. They progressed rapidly over the first few ridges". However, the entry of 16 Brigade into the Kokoda Campaign began in October of 1942. I have never seen any surplus boots dated prior to 1943 - with most surviving examples dated 1944 and 1945. If Paul Ham's information is correct, the manufacture of these boots must have commenced by at least August or September of 1942 - if they were issued to the 16th Brigade in time for their deployment to New Guinea . Medals Gone Missing also gave me the following information: “Whilst the ‘crocodile finish’ on the leather upper is NOT the common type of finish, they are certainly military boots. The brand FOSTARS was an Australian leather boot company and the ‘broad arrow’ mark on the sole looks authentic, so they are definitely Australian manufactured boots. They definitely appear to be original, however the rubber finish on the soles is extremely unusual and I am not convinced that they were manufactured for infantry use. I have seen a canvas soled model which was made as a “non slip” alternative for armoured crew (as the flat leather would make jumping up onto a tank or walking around on the upper surfaces, a slippery business).” Please note again that these are not the ones with the metal toe or with cleats . The information above is the only references that could be given to me about similar boots. All the above information was all I could find but from all the searching I did on the internet – I find that these are very rare and even more rare to find them in excellent condition. They measure 11 ½” from toe ... read more

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