The Strong Collection of Boot Polishing Images

Daily care and inspection of marching boots in barracks and field conditions.

Boots were a critical part of the soldier's equipment and had to be regularly cleaned and polished. This work was normally done during rest periods and in camp, but photographs also show boots being polished in the field between marches or duties. Clean, well-polished boots were both a matter of discipline and of protecting the leather from wear and weather.

This gallery gathers original images of men polishing boots, caring for leather equipment, and preparing for inspections, both in barracks and in more improvised field settings.