THE ARROW POINTS THE WAY

Kicking off our final boots triptych, here is something for the ladies. A pair of women’s ATS ( Auxiliary Territorial Service) pebble grain short lace-up boots, featuring the distinctive War Department Broad Arrow, or ‘Crows Foot’, stitched into the toe. Very similar in style to our Broad Arrow’d John White boots dated 1941, these have no discernible makers name, but are War Department stamped at the ankle.

The ranks of the ATS swelled dramatically during World War Two as women took over the military roles that were vacated by men sent off to fight. By the end of the war, there were over 190,000 members of the ATS, not including the Royal Navy equivalent the WRNS, or the Air Force WAAF.