Pair of puttees, sergeant, Royal Flying Corps, 1916 (c)

Drab woollen cloth, World War One (1914-1918).

Puttees were strips of cloth that wound from the ankle to the knee. They were worn by the British Army, and it's Dominion and Empire units, as part of their service uniform. The word 'puttee' is actually derived from a Hindi word pa???, which means bandage. It was incorporated into the British lexicology from the middle of the 19th century as a result of the Army's long service in India, and was eventually adopted for the uniforms of all British soldiers - be they infantry, cavalry, engineers or aviators - from 1903. They were phased out after 1938.

The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army. During the early part of World War One, the RFC's main responsibilities were artillery spotting and photographic reconnaissance. This work gradually led RFC pilots into aerial battles with enemy pilots engaged in similar activities. As the war progressed the RFC strafed enemy trenches and troop concentrations and bombed airfields, transportation networks and industrial facilities. In April 1918, the RFC was amalgamated with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force (RAF).