The mystery comforter
We need your help! Do you know what a comforter is? We would like to hear from you if you have any information about how to arrange this knitted comforter from the First World War.
The Memorial acquired this hand-knitted wool comforter in 1981. It was worn by Sergeant Leslie Wilson Thompson during his service on the Western Front with 22 and 24 Battalion. He enlisted for service on 6 April 1915 and returned to Australia in early April 1919.
It is simply constructed in a t-shape, much like this diagram below, with two wool grey tapes attached to the bottom section and two wool tabs attached to the corners of the top piece.
Initially we thought Thompson’s comforter may have been made from the above pattern for a ‘military knitted cap’; a combination hat and scarf. This Defence-approved pattern for a military knitted cap was printed in The Examiner on 19 August 1914. The pattern provided a basic shape, however it did not include instructions on how to wear.
Thompson’s comforter proved difficult to arrange as a cap when it was brought into the studio for photography on a mannequin. Evidence of wear and the natural elasticity of the knitting did not lend itself to a cap. As shown below, the tapes were almost unnecessary with this arrangement.
The other arrangement that we attempted was to sit the comforter on the chest and wrap it over the shoulders and on to the back. The wool tapes were looped through the front piece and tied at the lower back. Wearing it this way would help keep the neck and upper chest very warm and requires less yarn compared to a full-sized knitted pullover.
While researching this comforter we found a similar item online from the First World War. This ‘scarf-hood’ is crocheted with the two lengths crossed at the chest and tied at the back. However, our example was not long enough to be worn in that way.
It’s not very often that an item of clothing can confound us as this comforter has. If you have any information, or know of a similar pattern I would like to hear from you!