Turnbull & Asser, shirt-makers and tailors by appointment to the Prince of Wales, was founded in 1885 and has been situated on a corner spot in London's prestigious Jermyn Street since 1903. Throughout its long history, it has dressed royalty, world leaders, film stars and style icons including Mr James Bond. But in 1914, as with many gentlemen's outfitters, attention turned from civilian finery to sturdy, well-made military garb. Officers, depending on their means, could buy their uniforms from Turnbull & Asser or perhaps Burberry's of Haymarket, Frederick Gorringe of Buckingham Palace Road or Wilkinson Sword of Pall Mall. Waterproofs could be bought from country clothing specialists, Cording's of Piccadilly, established in 1839 and still going strong today.
As well as tailoring, there were accessories and other paraphenalia devoted to making life in the trenches more bearable, and in some instances, safer, such as these anti-barbed wire gloves. Priced at 7 shillings and 6 d., they were thick, insulated against electricity and lined with antiseptic wool.
There were other forms of protective clothing too - the bullet-proof jacket from Wilkinson Sword for instance, lined with highly-tempered steel. 'The bullet-proof jacket will resist a 455 Government revolver bullet' claimed the advertisement; 'No longer a experiment, but of proved effectiveness and utility, BODY SHIELDS are now a recognised and indispensable part of military equipment. They constitute a PRECAUTION that should be taken by EVERY OFFICER. So to be equipped is a duty he owes to his family, and to himself.' A more mass-produced item was the Crossman body shield made by Tyler and Tyler of Leicester, from the same steel as the standard issue British army helmets and designed to deflect rifle and machine gun fire. As the war progressed, there is some evidence that the Army distributed similar body armour but probably in limited numbers. It is likely that many men decided to invest privately in some form of protective clothing - or, since many of the magazines these advertisements appeared in were read by women, they may have been bought by wives and mothers, anxious to do anything to preserve the lives of their loved ones.
How effective these items of clothing were is debatable. In the case of some body shields, their design was such that a bullet could be deflected inwards towards the centre of the chest rather than away from the body and it still left large parts exposed, including the head. Bullet-proof vests had been commercially available since the late 19th century, usually made of silk which slowed bullet velocities and penetration capabilities. Ironically, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was wearing one when he was shot and killed in June 1914.
The abitrary nature of battle, and of human survival, is perhaps conveyed perfectly by our final picture here. Although not immediately obvious, it is a picture of a stick of Erasmic shaving soap, belonging to a private of the 2nd Middlesex Regiment. On closer inspection, a German bullet is embedded in it. This lucky soldier's grooming habits ended up saving his life!
Luci Gosling
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