A piece of our wartime history is getting a new lease of life, right here in the Hunter.
A sheepskin vest worn by diggers in World War One and Two is being re-produced, in the lead-up to the centenary of the Gallipoli landing.
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A piece of our wartime history is getting a new lease of life, right here in the Hunter.
A sheepskin vest worn by diggers in World War One and Two is being re-produced, in the lead-up to the centenary of the Gallipoli landing.
An interesting article about sheepskin vests was published in the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate of Thursday 2nd December 1915:-
“Mr Black, the State Chief Secretary, has been supplied with letters from soldiers at the front which indicates that sheepskin vests are not the most desirable articles of clothing. At first they are nice and comfortable, but they soon develop into a safe refuge for vermin. After the leather has been wet it dries hard; the vests are then practically useless …………”
I doubt if the $449 replica Digger sheepskin vests will be allowed to endure similar conditions to that experienced by the Diggers in the trenches at Gallipoli and on the Western Front or in the desert sands of Sinai and Palestine.
The Tanned Sheepskin Clothing Committee had its office in Room 16 on the third floor of the Equitable Building at 350 George Street, Sydney and it was quoted that they can procure vest for seven shillings each.
Sheepskin vests were a very popular item given to many Hunter Valley men by family members and local patriotic and comforts committees prior to their departure for overseas.
Yes David you are quite correct some soldiers did find their vest less than desirable. However there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that these vests were instrumental in saving the lives of not just Australian soldiers but those of the New Zealanders and the English Tommies during the winter of 1916/17. These vests were again manufactured nationally during WW2 by the CWA for aircrew and for the navy. The vest also represents the contribution made to the war by those that remained at home. Australians foresaw that there was a need to keep their loved ones warm while on the battlefields and in true Australian style they came up with an ingenious but simple way. We hope that the recreation of the vest in conjunction with Mortels, will allow visitors travelling to the WWI battlefields to take a part of history that is 100% Australian with them while at the same time assisting the RSL in their work with current returned men and women and their families.
David Thank you for the endorsement of our research. As you would be aware it was a common practice for the soldiers destroy their entire uniform (by burning as I understand) once rotated out of the trenches due to infestation. Once this was done the men received a reissue of uniform including the vests.
Unfortunately what is often forgotten is that this was the first sheepskin product manufactured in this country. The target was for one million units. By the end of 1915 75,395 waistcoats and 50,400 pairs of insoles had been produced (Raymond Terrace Examiner January 26 1916) The story of the overwhelming community.support that allowed the vest’s production is worthy of telling and celebrating. The prices ranged from 7 shillings to 21 shillings depending on quality and design features (representing 1 – 3 days wages (Advertisement Sydney Mail 1916)
While Mr Black and some of his constituents may have had some dissatisfaction at the time. The overwhelming evidence is that they saved many lives and were greatly appreciated by those fortunate enough to receive them and they allowed the Australian Community to mobilise and in a practical way support their soldiers from the Homefront.