Puttees

A puttee is a cloth band that was wound round a soldier’s leg from their ankle to their knee. They were designed to provide support when walking and protect against harsh weather conditions.

Many Australian soldiers developed a painful medical condition during their service on the Western Front called trench foot. The primary causes were wet feet and unsanitary conditions but puttees were also partly to blame as they limited circulation to the lower leg and foot.  

Look at the design of the puttee. What else could the soldiers have used it for? 

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