The aptly named escape boot was designed for the Royal Air Force (RAF) by Ron Kitchin and Archie Haynes of Haynes and Cann, Northampton in 1943.
The escape boot's unique feature is the leg section that could be cut away from the shoe using a small pen knife, located in a concealed pocket inside one leg, so turning the boot into an Oxford shoe. If an RAF pilot or crew member had to bail out of their plane over enemy territory, their clothing could easily be adapted to look civilian and so blend in. As their distinctive RAF boots would clearly give them away, wearing shoes would give them a better chance of remaining undetected until they could get to safety. The design remained in service with the RAF until the mid 1950s. Later Haynes & Cann made the RAF MK1 boot for pilots of the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft before closing in 2010.
Northamptonshire has a long history of making military footwear. In the 1660s a group headed by Thomas Pendleton was successful in securing an order from Parliament to supply the army with 600 pairs of boots and 4,000 pairs of shoes. During the First World War local shoe factories made over 50 million pairs of the 75 million boots and shoes worn by our armed forces and allies. Again during the Second World War factories across the county increased production to support the war effort.
Number 83 of the objects selected for the A History of Northamptonshire in 100 Objects exhibition 2025.
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Victoria and Albert Museum
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NMAG
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NMAG
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NMAG