Rare WW1 British 1902 Pattern Issue Other Ranks Trousers 

A very good pair of the rare 1902 Pattern Trousers issued to British Infantry in WW1. 

Made of good WW1 khaki wool cloth these excellent 1902 Trousers have every one of the identifying features one hopes to find in a WW1 issued pair. 

First and foremost they are lined throughout in the classic off white cotton of WW1 manufacture; this complimented by a nicely toned full set of the standard issue zinc buttons sewn in pairs at the waistband, all of which are desirably maker marked to the same manufacturer.

Mid 1918 the lining on issue trousers changed to a tan colour and the zinc buttons were replaced by brass.

The slash pockets to the side have another WW1 identifier of twin stitch reinforcement bars at the bottom, this reduced to one stitch bar post war. The waistband then bears a good WW1 British War Department Issue Stamp with the letter at the bottom and the numbers at the top. In late 1918 War Department issue stamps have the letter and number positions reversed.

The waistband also features a nice WW1 five figure army service number of “34881' written in typical WW1 purple indelible pencil, albeit this now somewhat faded. Post war British Army numbering was reorganised, service numbers having seven or eight digits from then on.

The Trousers are a good size for display with a waist of approximately 33 inches.

Overall condition is also very good albeit with some distinct service wear. The left leg of the trousers as viewed has above the knee five tears ranging from 2mm to 5mm which appear to have been period repaired. I do not believe these are moth as there is no moth anywhere else on the trousers. Rather I am more inclined to think these tears have been caused by fine shrapnel shards as in this area the trousers also have slight staining remnants which have all the appearance of being from washed-out blood trails. A least one of these trails plainly leads directly to one of the tears, this perhaps indicating superficial wounding of the Trousers’s original owner. 

The right leg also has one period repaired 15mm tear at the knee which may have faint staining around it too, however here it is much more difficult to tell. 

At some point the Trousers also appear to have been pinched in at the waist rear, this either indicating they were slightly too big when issued, or following the superficial wounding hypothesis they were salvaged and re-issued, this a very common thing in WW1.

A very difficult piece of the WW1 British Infantryman’s kit to find.