This vintage real photo postcard features a uniformed soldier and his family. He is wearing a pin with the number “253” on his collar. This likely indicates that he was in the 253rd regiment. Note the wrapping around the bottom of his pant legs. I wonder about the purpose of the wrap. The soldier’s wife looks almost out of the photo. She is stiff and and looks disconnected from her son and husband. The soldier’s son is wearing a navy style shirt. The soldier looks intense but proud. “Photo Pierre” is the name of the studio that produced this postcard. The photographer was located in Brest, France. SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
The leg wraps are called puttees, and they have been used by soldiers since the Middle Ages. But they are most readily associated with the British Army in India, and with WWI. They were used as leg supports for both mounted and foot soldiers. Generally, their use declined after WWI.
Jane S. Gabin, Ph.D.Independent Scholar and ConsultantNCIS: National Coalition of Independent Scholars
The leggings are putters. Leg protection
Cheers
On Fri, Dec 24, 2021, 9:00 AM THE CABINET CARD GALLERY wrote:
> bmarshphd posted: ” This vintage real photo postcard features a uniformed > soldier and his family. He is wearing a pin with the number “253” on his > collar. This likely indicates that he was in the 253rd regiment. Note the > wrapping around the bottom of his pant legs. ” >
Photographer posed these individuals poorly. The lady’s chair should have been turned towards the other two. The boy should have been on a lift, so the line of their heads flowed upward. I pose my people in a slant or “w” pattern. I like each person to be posed, so that there is no gapping in height. The “wrappings” protect soldiers’ pant legs from damage from mud and thorny vines and bushes.Sent from my MetroPCS 4G LTE Android Device