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WWI uniform builder

The Anzac soldier needed to be equipped to face not only the enemy but also the rigours of the tough Gallipoli environment. Prepare him for the battle by dragging and dropping the items of a Canterbury Mounted Rifles uniform to where they are supposed to go.

Hat
Hat badge
Collar badge
Belt
Rifle
Puttee
Tunic
Puggaree
Boots

The Mounted Riflemen wore felt hats with a groove 'bashed' in the middle. Most other Anzac troops wore felt hats, with a peak at the crown, known as the iconic kiwi “lemon-squeezer”. To keep the creases at the peak of the hat, some would urinate on the top then use laundry pegs to squeeze the creases together.

Soldiers would wear the badges of their squadrons, regiments, corps or contingents on their hats/caps.

Squadron, regiment, corps or contingent badges were worn on the collar.

New Zealand made bandolier carrying 50 rounds and belt with up to 10 slide on pouches carrying 10 rounds per pouch made specifically from 1905 for the NZ Mounted Rifles and used in training, Egypt and on Gallipoli. A bayonet was attached to the belt but fixed to the rifle for charges and close combat.

The Lee-Enfield (SMLE) No.1 Mk.III was the main weapon used by Anzac soldiers. It was a very accurate and reliable weapon, considered to be one of the best rifles used during the Great War. Length: 1.13m; weight: 4.11kg; range: up to 1829m. It was a development of the .303 Enfield first invented in Britain and became the standard Commonwealth military cartridge from the late 1800s to the 1950s. 17 million SMLEs were manufactured in 27 different models. Mounted Riflemen were issued with this rifle prior to embarkation in NZ. Most other ANZAC embarked with the "Long Tom" .303 and when in Gallipoli picked up the shorter SMLEs versions from fallen Australians

Adapted from the Hindi patti, or bandage, the long and thin woollen wraps originated as a tribal legging in the Himalayas. They were designed to be used with breeches, and were first used by the military in British India. Puttees made of serg fabric or wool (9 1/4 feet long and 4 inches wide with at least 3 1/3 feet of tape) covered the leg from ankle to knee, starting from the inner ankle, and winding forward and upward. Mounted Riflemen wound puttees the opposite way starting from the knee and finishing on the outer ankle, to stop them riding up from contact with the saddle.

Flannel and cotton tunics in various collared and collarless simple styles were part of the military uniform. Officers bought their own shirts from military tailors and outfitters across the country. When soldiers were in Egypt, they were given flannel pullover collared shirts made in India. The light shirts had shoulder straps, two breast pockets and vented cuffs, which were probably appreciated in the hot weather.

A puggaree is a woollen band worn around the felt hats to identify which service branch soldiers were from within the New Zealand Army. For example, Mounted Rifles wore khaki top and bottom with green in the middle and artillery units wore dark blue with scarlet in the middle. The puggaree on the hat would be decorated with badge cloth flash insignia.

Kiwis left for war with New Zealand-made anklet boots. Recruits were initially issued two pairs of boots. However, when the manufacturers in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch could not keep up with demand, soldiers received only one. Once overseas, they were issued British boots if needed, though these were not thought to be of the same quality. Boots were made of brown polished leather, rising around 18.5 inches high and had with seven or nine pairs of eyelets for the leather laces. Some boots had toe caps, hob nails (like football boot studs), heal plates and spur rests (flaps over the back of the heal).