ws ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁T ank ▁Regiment ▁and ▁Re con na issance ▁Corps ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁cre ws ▁of ▁water bor ne ▁craft ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Army ▁Service ▁Corps ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁▁ ▁Special ists ▁and ▁am mo ▁stores men ▁were ▁issued ▁regular ▁am mo ▁bo ots ▁with ▁rub ber ▁he els ▁and ▁rub ber ▁cre pe ▁sol es ▁that ▁lack ed ▁the ▁h ob n ails ▁and ▁steel ▁he el - ▁and ▁toe - plates . ▁This ▁was ▁to ▁avoid ▁creating ▁spark s ▁near ▁fl amm able ▁or ▁explos ive ▁stores ▁( like ▁gun pow der ▁or ▁gas oline ). ▁Command os ▁were ▁issued ▁them ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁easier ▁for ▁them ▁to ▁move ▁sil ently . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁a ▁pattern ▁without ▁the ▁to ec ap ▁was ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Army ▁and ▁was ▁issued ▁to ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁and ▁the ▁Royal ▁Mar ines . ▁As ▁an ▁economy ▁measure ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁h ob n ails ▁were ▁reduced ▁in ▁April , ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁to ▁ 1 5 ▁h ob n ails , ▁later ▁reduced ▁to ▁ 1 3 ▁h ob n ails ▁in ▁September , ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁bo ots ▁were ▁the ▁focus ▁of ▁much ▁dr ill ▁and ▁attention . ▁ ▁Ach ieving ▁a ▁high ▁pol ish ▁was ▁often ▁the ▁aim ▁and ▁required ▁hours ▁of ▁" b ull ing " ▁( v ig orous ▁pol ishing )