Foot Bandages for Marching, WWII Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 11, November 5, 1942 (Lone Sentry)

Despite the increasing importance of motor movement in war today, in the final analysis a soldier depends on his own two feet to reach his objective; hence attention to the care of his feet can not be too greatly emphasized.

The Germans take special measures to protect the feet of their troops by the use of bandages. They march long distances in heavy and rather roughly made boots with little foot trouble.

The following method of bandaging prescribed for the Hungarian Army and Labor Corps is also used in the German Army. The Hungarian does not wear the German boot but instead a high shoe with a flap at the top, which straps around the leg well above the ankle outside the breeches and holds them in place. Ordinary light socks are worn beneath the bandages.

[Foot Bandage for Marching]

The bandage is a rectangular piece of light flannel (probably cotton) some 24 x 14 inches in size. Its winding is illustrated for the left foot, which is placed on the rectangular cloth as shown in figure 1 of the accompanying sketch. Then the shaded corner area is folded over the foot and the corner itself is held under the ball of the foot, as in figure 2. As the remainder of the cloth is wrapped around the arch and instep (figure 3), the foot is moved forward a bit as in thrusting into a shoe, until the big toe is flush with the edge of the hole formed by the forward edge of the cloth in figure 3. Thereafter, the winding about the ankle is completed as shown in figure 4, and the end may be fastened at the top with a small safety pin, or left to hold by friction if the entire winding has been tight enough. The winding is in general not very tight, although this varies to suit the individual. Too tight a winding means interference with blood circulation, and too loose means no support of the arch and ankle.