Military equipment of the infantry in the First World War
This article is an overview, the military equipment of the infantry in the First World War .
It was only after the Boer War (1899–1902), inspired by the British Army's khaki uniform , that field uniforms in muted colors and functional designs began to prevail. But the status of implementation in 1914 was very different in the countries of Europe. In August 1914, no warring army had thought of introducing a steel helmet. A short time later, however, the French military first realized that splinter-resistant headgear in the trenches could save the lives of thousands of soldiers.
At the beginning of the war, the influence of old Prussian military traditions in equipment, which had often been adopted by the German army from 1871, was clearly noticeable in many armies around the world . In terms of weapons technology, a number of countries also orientated themselves on the German developments of the last 30 years, with some nations sourcing weapons and equipment directly from the German Reich or having them manufactured there according to their own ideas. However, the internationally networked movement of goods built up in peacetime had fatal consequences for some countries that were at war with one another from 1914 onwards. Sometimes they lacked valuable raw materials or there were no national production facilities of their own for special war-necessary needs.
The German Imperium
The uniform of the German infantrymen was one of the most modern and useful at the beginning of the war and had only been introduced a short time before. Nevertheless, the Prussian military tradition remained clearly visible. Field gray uniform jackets ( tunics ) and trousers were introduced in 1907/10. The trousers had two diagonal pockets, a watch pocket and a sewn-on belt to adjust the waist. There were fine red piping on the outside seam. The jacket is buttoned in a single row. The material of the buttons and embossing as well as the appearance of the collar and the cuffs differed in different regiments (guard formations). The epaulettes were removable and edged with different colored piping , which indicated the respective army corps. The regimental number or a monogram was embroidered on the flaps themselves .
In the course of the war, the uniform was further simplified and finally made from cheap substitute fibers, which were issued ex works with reinforced knees and elbows due to their low durability. These reinforcements could be made of fabric or leather. A simplified version of the tunic was developed as early as 1914, shortly after the start of the war. The model should be cut tighter and now be darker and greener in color. The arm cuffs (request of the troops to store cards, for example) and the pocket flaps were not dispensed with. There were also changes to the rank badges attached. The shoulder flaps were sewn into the shoulder seam as in the previous model. At the same time the color of the trousers was revised, from August 1914 a stone gray color was introduced, but it was not until autumn 1915 that it was also issued as M 1915. Otherwise the trousers M1914 remained unchanged. Even the red tucks were retained at this point, but they gradually disappeared. With the introduction of the M1917 uniform trousers, the German army returned to the field-gray fabric of the pre-war period.
As part of the new uniform, the M 1915 blouse was introduced with AKO on September 21, 1915 (in the case of the Bavarian contingents not until 1916), which was originally intended to replace all previous models. However, this did not happen for reasons related to the war, as the existing stocks first had to be plotted. The blouse was the terms of positional and grave war adjusted. The six horn buttons that closed the skirt were now covered by a strip of fabric. The folding collar now had a reseda green trim (Bavaria: field gray edged with a white and blue diamond border), which established a new German military tradition (via the Reichswehr , Wehrmacht , Federal Border Guard and NVA , this green collar was part of German uniforms until 1990). The tunic had two buttoned side pockets, the epaulets were now narrower than on the previous models and could be removed. A greener version of the M1915 blouse was issued to rifle and hunter units . On the blouse there were still lace cords, albeit in a reduced, matt gray form. Officers often had breast pockets sewn on (contrary to regulations). This blouse remained in use until the end of the war, even if all unnecessary ornaments were soon left out. The Prussian and Bavarian troops sent to the Middle East to support the Turkish troops and the colonial protection troops were equipped with a sand-colored tropical uniform, which also included a tropical helmet with a neck scarf .
The fabric-covered wooden frame of the M07 / 13 knapsack was covered with calfskin (from 1915 field-gray, water-repellent canvas, only the back was made of calfskin), the leather parts were left natural brown until 1915. From 1917 onwards, only other skins could be used. The M1901 half-boots, underwear, stockings, shirt, tent equipment, shoe cleaning kit, rifle cleaning kit, two packs of 15 rifle cartridges each, the scrub (field cap made of cloth and without an umbrella), the “ iron ration ” (which were only touched on express orders) were allowed to), sewing and cleaning supplies and the coffee can. The M1910 cookware , which was painted field gray from 1915 onwards, was strapped to the knapsack lid with two straps, removable upper part always on the right. The gray coat M1907 (from 1915 the field gray standard coat M15) and above it the beige-colored (from 1915 field gray) tent sheet introduced in 1892 could be fastened around the knapsack with three special coat straps.
The bread bag made of light brown material (field gray since October 1914) had already been introduced in 1887. With two button-up fabric loops and a metal hook, it could be worn on the belt. Two D-shaped metal rings on the back of the bag also made it possible to carry it with a fabric strap (bread bag strap) across the chest. On the bread bag flap at the base of the left fabric loop was a D-ring for hooking the canteen . In order to be able to fix this even more firmly by means of the canteen leather strap, there was a sewn leather loop on the flap below the D-ring through which the canteen strap could be pulled. In the bread bag, food, personal valuables and the aluminum cup for the canteen were stowed with hinged retaining brackets.
The oval aluminum flask covered with gray-brown felt held three quarters of a liter and was closed with an aluminum screw cap. Natural-colored leather straps were drawn around the neck and lengthways around the belly of the bottle. In war productions, the belly leather strap was also omitted. In 1915 a canteen / M1915 / 17 made of tin-plated sheet steel was introduced. A cork stopper with a corrugated capsule now served as a closure. Field gray cotton twill was used for covering. Since 1916, the bottle was only tin-plated on the inside, but enameled on the outside, and the cotton cover was replaced by brown cord. She didn't have a drinking cup.
The "cookware for foot troops M 1910" is, apart from minor changes, the same as is still used by the Bundeswehr today. The one-piece, foldable cutlery (fork / spoon) was kept at the top of the kettle.
The German soldiers were equipped with the tried and tested Prussian M1866 marching boots ( Knobelbecher ) with side seams. He had a shaft height of 31 to 35 centimeters and was studded with 35 to 42 galvanized nails on the sole. There was a recessed U-shaped iron on the heel. The boots were stored in their natural color and were handed out when they were mobilized. According to the regulations of the new uniforms of autumn 1915, they were to be blackened from then on. With the increasing supply problems as a result of the British blockade as well as the steadily growing shortage of leather, the cheaper to manufacture and otherwise more popular M1901 lace-up boots were increasingly worn by the front troops from 1917 at the latest. Knee-high wrap gaiters were worn with this ankle-high footwear, made from all available fabrics and in a wide range of muted colors. However, since these gaiters contracted when they dried after getting wet and so could constrict the blood in the legs, the general introduction of wrap gaiters was rejected by the army command in autumn 1915. The trend could not be stopped, however, as the officers in particular increasingly equipped themselves with it.
The armament included the Gewehr 98 ( shock troops used the shortened 98a ), caliber 7.92 mm, with the bayonet M1898 (from 1915 the shortened and widened version M98 / 05, the so-called Butcherknife with the British ) and with Landsturm units still partially the older rifle 88/05 of the same caliber with the bayonet (side rifle) M1871. Pioneers wore the designs with a saw back. The bayonet (officially referred to as a side rifle in the army ) was carried on the left of the belt together with the feldspade M1887 , while the lockable strap of the leather spade pocket also fixed the bayonet sheath. The tassel should always be on the leather belt shoe of the scabbard , the color of which stood for the individual companies of a battalion according to a complex sequence (white - red - yellow - blue - donkey bridge "We like to smoke Brazil"). The 08 pistol developed by Georg Luger in 1908 was used as an additional handgun .
The belt equipment includes the belt M1895 made of natural-colored leather with a country-specific belt box lock made of brass, later made of galvanized sheet steel. This belt became black from 1915, the belt lock was colored field gray. On the left and right of the belt lock, a natural leather-colored cartridge pouch unit M1909 consisting of three individual pockets, which were also blackened from 1915, was pulled onto the belt. Each of these pouches contained three loading strips of five cartridges each (a total of 90 rounds). The weight of the cartridge pouches was absorbed on the march by the two satchel straps, in combat or in the trench, if no satchel was worn, the haversack strap then placed around the shoulders. The D-rings attached to the back of the bags were hooked into both carrying methods.
The infantryman's headgear was the penultimate model of the Pickelhaube, introduced in 1895 , the Prussian predecessors of which went back to 1842. The spiked bonnet was a typical product of the 19th century and was made of cooked leather and later sheet metal as an alternative . It offered no splinter protection. Pointed and typical helmet fittings were made from brass (elite units German silver) at the beginning of the war. The reed-colored (gray-green) helmet cover introduced in 1892 with the regimental number sewn on in red fabric (for the reserve units with an “R” and for the Landwehr with an “L” above the number) was an early concession to the changed combat conditions. Uniform parts that were too conspicuous represented an unnecessary danger to the wearer. After the first skirmishes in 1914, the difficulties with the spiked hood quickly became apparent. In addition to its ineffectiveness against splinters, the metal tip attached to the top of the helmet (often mistakenly mistaken for the namesake of the spiked hood) was far too conspicuous in trench warfare, especially for officers it was used as a target for enemy snipers, as their tips were higher than those of the crews. The troops therefore unscrewed the tips automatically (for tips that could be replaced by a parade bush), otherwise the entire part was removed. Therefore, work was carried out on a completely new helmet, the successor of which is the most popular model in the world today, the M1916 steel helmet made of chrome-nickel steel . The design came from Prof. Friedrich Schwerd . By the time it was released, the last model of the Pickelhaube, M1915, had already been issued with a screw-off tip and iron (therefore field-gray) fittings. In this sense, the helmet camouflage cover has now also been changed; the regimental numbers were first added in dark green, and were later omitted entirely. In order to save leather, the last generation of the spiked hood before the introduction of the steel helmet was partly made of felt in addition to sheet metal. The hunters, riflemen, machine gun detachments and the Landsturm wore a black leather shako with a cover as their headgear. The leather of the shako also had to be replaced by felt later.
The 1.1 mm thick steel safety helmet model 1916 was drawn from a steel plate in six work steps. He had a leather chin strap. For the steel helmet, a 5-6 millimeter thick steel plate, initially intended exclusively for machine-gun shooters and later issued to rifle shooters and trench crews, was produced, which could be attached to the two ventilation bolts on the left and right of the end face and fastened around the helmet with leather straps . Against lead core projectiles, it offered sufficient protection against penetration up to a distance of 50 meters. However, since she weighed 2 kilograms, it was only possible to wear it for a short time. However, a lack of raw materials prevented the originally planned number of these plates, only around 50,000 pieces were produced, which meant that the intended equipment target of five percent could not be achieved due to a lack of nickel . From July 1918, the German helmets were often given the then introduced colored paint (so-called mimicry ), which the soldiers had to paint on the helmets themselves. Large, sharp-edged color fields in rust-brown, ocher-yellow and green were applied, separated from each other by thick black lines. The colors were matte and were applied with a brush. Sprayed paints have only been documented since the 1930s. The German steel helmet developed for defensive protection in trench warfare is considered to be the best universal helmet of the First World War, despite some disadvantages that were recognized early on, such as partially impaired hearing. The straps of the ice ax hoods were initially used as chin straps, but these proved unsatisfactory as they could not be tightened tightly enough with the sliding buckle.
The first batch of 30,000 steel helmets was produced in 1915 and delivered to the troops off Verdun and on the Somme in January 1916. After the positive attempts to wear the helmets, the Army Administration placed an initial order for the production of 1.5 million steel helmets in April 1916 and another over 4 million pieces in the same year. A total of 7.5 million M1916 steel helmets were manufactured. The main contractor was Eisenhüttenwerk Thale. The Turkey received 5,400 pieces and Bulgaria 170,000 this pattern.
In 1918 a new head protection was presented which, based on the steel helmet M1916, seemed more suitable for soldiers operating offensively. In contrast to the M1916, the interior of the M1918, which was also made of chrome-nickel steel, had been improved, and the helmet bowl had a slightly lower shape. The previous leather lining strip was replaced by a sheet metal collar, the chin strap was now provided with a pull buckle to make it easier to adjust. Both parts of the belt were detachably connected by a snap hook. Because of complaints from the troops about poor hearing with the M1916 or M1918, a special version with a small cutout over the ears ("Stahlhelm M1918 with ear cutout") was launched from August 1918 on an experimental basis and exclusively in the small helmet shell (helmet bell) size 64 some German troops issued. However, there was no longer any extensive introduction. In Germany, the helmet was only introduced across the board in the Reichswehr, where the helmet was sometimes worn in the form of 1918 in the Wehrmacht until the beginning of the Second World War .
A loading strip with five cartridges for the M1898 carbine
The M15 stick grenade manufactured from 1915
German feldspade for machine gun units, manufacturer: TDG
German bayonet M1898 / 05 from 1905 for the M1898 carbine
German belt lock, here in the Prussian version
Austria-Hungary
In the dual monarchy, too, people began to think about camouflaging fabric colors at the beginning of the 20th century.
In 1908 the blue tunic was replaced by the pike-gray blouse for the field uniform. In contrast to the skirt, it had four pockets; the six, mostly black-lacquered zinc buttons were covered by a strip. The summer blouse was purchased for the warmer months of the year and was initially only given to the infantry, the mountain and fortress artillery and the mountain ranges. This summer blouse was subsequently standardized in 1909. It had a stand-up turn-down collar and could be equipped with removable Parolis . From the summer of 1914, a permit was issued for all arms. The blouse of the mountain troops had its own cut, with four patch pockets with pleats. From 1915 the previous pike-gray blouse was replaced by one made of field-gray fabric with matted buttons, as the pike-gray color had proven to be too conspicuous. However, this blouse M1915 already showed negative effects from the use of substitutes. It was replaced the following year by the M 1916 standard blouse, but there was no precise description in the Ordinance Sheet, so that only a turn-down collar was specified. The colors of the fabrics varied more and more in the course of the war and ranged from stone gray to gray-green to brown-gray depending on the material available. This pattern remained in use until the end of the war, even if there were deviations among officers, as they had to procure the uniforms themselves and so, depending on their financial circumstances, extravaganzas crept in. In the course of the war, in order to save material and to simplify production, the button placket began to be omitted and the pocket buttons were no longer covered. The Parolis were reduced in size, but the distinction badges remained unchanged.
In 1908 the so-called breeches for the unmounted troops were introduced as trousers for the field uniform. It was pale gray, had two pockets on the front and two on the back and was held taut at the bottom of the leg by straps under the foot. In the left, front pocket there was another small pocket to hold the legitimation leaf capsule . The trousers of the Hungarian associations were decorated with Vitéz Kötés made of sheep's wool on the thighs . The calf parts were tubular, as the leather gaiters M 1908 (or cloth gaiters) were worn over them. The breeches of the kk mountain troops, on the other hand, only reached below the knee and from then on went into calf stockings. The artillery breeches were standardized for the artillery, the train and the pioneers, they were similar to the general breeches, but had a shorter calf piece and were worn by officers with leather gaiters and by men in boots. With the introduction of the field gray uniform in 1915, nothing changed in the cut of the knee trousers, only the lacing was removed from the Hungarian trousers. With the introduction of the so-called unit adjustment in 1916, the general breeches were generally replaced by the artillery breeches (which are easier to manufacture). The cloth gaiters had to give way to the wrap gaiters or the calf stockings, leather gaiters were only worn occasionally by senior officers.
1916 was in the Imperial Army of fur backpack M1906 replaced by a light backpack (M1916) in natural brown linen and been normalized in the same year for all arms (the fur backpack M1906 but was made demonstrably still 1917). Its wide shoulder straps were hooked into the two leather cartridge pouches, just like the backpack straps, in order to distribute the weight better.
The bread sack was also made of green or brown fabric. It could be attached to a wide shoulder strap across the chest or to the belt with fabric loops and metal hooks without a strap. Canteens, cookware and provisions were stowed in the compartments under the fabric flap of the bag. The green enamelled canteen with a cap made of natural cork was introduced as early as the 19th century. It could also be hooked onto the bread bag.
The ankle-high shoes for teams were made of brown natural leather, each with two eight eyelets. Under the heel there was a horseshoe-shaped heel, the sole was studded with nails. Black shoe polish was often applied to protect against moisture. The cavalry, the artillery and the technical troops wore black high boots or riding boots, the mountain troops wore special mountain shoes (the hussars according to the Hungarian pattern).
The standard rifle used was the Steyr Mannlicher rifle M1895 , caliber 8 mm , which at the time of its introduction was the fastest repeating rifle in the world and fired cartridges with low-smoke powder. The loading frame system, which was very sensitive to dirt, proved to be a disadvantage. The M1895 bayonet was part of this weapon. As a weapon aid from Germany to the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, the Gewehr 88, designed by the Prussian Rifle Examination Commission (G. P. K.), and at least 15,000 of the Gewehr 98 were delivered to the Imperial and Royal Standschützen .
The natural leather-colored belt was carried with a brass box lock on which the double-headed Austro-Hungarian eagle was embossed (later the single-pin buckle came into use). The two natural leather-colored double cartridge pouches were pulled onto the belt to the left and right of the belt lock. Each pocket took two loading strips with five cartridges each (40 rounds in total). During the war, the harness was more and more replaced by substitutes such as webbing or waterproof linen.
In 1916 a steel helmet was introduced into the Austrian army , which differed slightly in shape from the German model. It was the so-called Berndorf helmet, which was manufactured in-house and then replaced by the German M 1916 helmet.
A total of:
- 139,968 helmets system Berndorf
- 534.013 Helmets M 1916
- In addition 416,000 helmets M 1916 were delivered from Germany
Even though small numbers of former dragoon helmets were reinforced with face plates and Italian bag helmets were used, the available quantities were not sufficient.
Austro-Hungarian ceramic stick grenade from the First World War
Berndorf helmet
Ottoman Empire
In the course of the withdrawal from the occupied countries of the Balkans , the old imperialist Ottoman Empire was almost completely wiped out. The horrific government spending for military purposes destroyed the infrastructure and economic prosperity. Growing corruption and the inability of a crumbling civil service also meant that military and state reforms mostly got bogged down. Therefore, the army could only modernize in the late 19th century and build on European models.
The trousers and tunic of the Turkish infantry were made of khaki fabric during the First World War. The skirt, which was closed with six metal buttons, often had only two lap pockets. However, there are also versions with additional breast pockets. These pockets were not attached, but worked into the inside of the tunic and were closed with fabric flaps and metal buttons. The natural-colored leather belt with box lock and the brown, three-part cartridge pouches pulled onto the belt to the left and right of the lock optically followed the German model. The marching pack of the Turkish soldier was carried with natural leather-colored straps, which, as was customary at the time, could be hooked into the front of the cartridge pouches, on the one hand to stabilize the back pack and on the other hand to catch the heavy cartridge pouches. The natural leather lace-up boots were enclosed by khaki-colored knee-high wrap gaiters.
Like the European armies, the Ottoman armies had no protective headgear at the beginning of the First World War. As standard, the Sultan's soldiers were equipped with the red wool felt , which had been introduced for all imperial employees in 1826 and which replaced the military headgear that had been customary until then. At that time, the fes was colored with synthetic aniline dyes , which came from Germany. With this eye-catching headgear, however, the soldiers, especially in the barren, desert-like regions of the Ottoman Empire, exposed themselves to the great danger of being quickly recognized as a target, which is why a turban-like khaki-colored headgear was worn in the field. In contrast to the armies on the European theater of war, the idea of safety was not taken into account by the introduction of a modern helmet until 1918. It was not until the last year of the war that the Turkish army introduced a steel helmet, which was made in Germany and based on the M1916 steel safety helmet . The M1916 was manufactured in six steps from a steel plate that was 1.1 mm thick. In contrast to the M1916, the M1918, which was also made of chrome-nickel steel, lacked the distinctive eyeshade and the neck rim pulled down at the ears. The M1918 was issued to some German troops on a trial basis. The missing umbrella was a concession to the Muslim ritual prayer , for which the Turkish soldier did not have to take off his helmet. Larger quantities of these helmets weighing between 1000 and 1300 g were delivered to Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. Turkey received 5400 pieces. It may be used to equip elite units.
Several types of German rifles were used during the First World War. Weapons orders from the Ottoman army to Germany were a tradition. A major Turkish order after 1872 for the M1871 rifle may have saved the traditional Mauser company from bankruptcy. At the same time, Turkey had ordered the Martini Henry rifle, which was also new at the time, from Great Britain . This weapon was still partially in use in the Ottoman army in 1913. In addition to the Turkish M87 rifle, also designed by Mauser, and the Turkish M90 rifle , the 7.65 mm Mauser rifle, built from 1903 to 1905, was also in Ottoman service. The Rifle 88 , caliber 7.92 mm, designed by the Prussian Rifle Testing Commission (GPK) was also delivered as a weapon aid from Germany to Turkey .
France
French infantry in general
Between 1903 and 1914 a commission of the French army command tried to implement innovations in cut and color with various experimental uniforms, which ultimately remained unsuccessful until July 27, 1914, six days before the outbreak of war. A decision was made on that day: too late for the army.
The uniform with which the French soldiers were sent to the front at the start of the war had hardly changed since the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71 . The bright red trousers, each with a pocket on the outer seam, a watch pocket and a sewn-on belt to adjust the waist size in the back of the wearer, were introduced in 1860 and had only undergone minor changes in the cut in 1893 and 1897. The conspicuousness of these trousers alone made it almost impossible to camouflage the troops and made enemy shooters an easy target. Black M1913 leather leggings with lace-up front, which reached calf-high, were worn with the trousers. The French army issued several models of lace-up boots, with the “ Brodequin ” model introduced in 1893 with six pairs of eyelets being the most widespread at the beginning of the war. The shoes had reinforcing rivets on the inside.
Shortly after the outbreak of war in 1914, new horizon blue trousers "Pantalon-culotte" were introduced, with a yellow cord sewn into the outer seam from April 1915. These pants had fabric reinforcements at the knees. Knee-high wrap gaiters made of horizon blue fabric were issued for these trousers. The further developed lower model 1912 with seven pairs of eyelets and without reinforcing rivets was used as a lace-up boot. These rivets were not reattached until 1916.
The coat M1877 made of a thick blue-gray fabric with double-row brass button strips was worn over the red trousers, the lapels of which could be buttoned back. On the low, uncomfortable stand-up collars, red mirrors were sewn with regimental numbers made of coat material. In 1913 detachable epaulettes were attached to the coat so that the straps of the M1893 knapsack could not slip off. A woolen scarf of the same color, which was tied like a tie, was worn with the coat.
In 1914, shortly after the start of the war, the fashion designer Paul Poiret developed the first new military coat for the French army since 1877. After it had been established that all the colors of the fabric, even those of the French tricolor , had been imported from Germany, the French army could only access them take the stocks of a German subsidiary. The original plan to weave a new uniform fabric in the French national colors red - white - blue had to be abandoned soon, as insufficient quantities of the red fabric were available. The new coat fabric was woven in shades of indigo blue and white. The later famous "horizon blue" look of the French soldier at the front was created by chance. Poiret introduced his new single-breasted cropped coat with button-down lapels and a soft collar in September 1914. Compared to the heavy predecessor model with its uncomfortable short stand-up collar, the lines of the fashion designer are clearly evident.
However, after delivery of the new designer coat M1914 had stalled, the War Ministry decided in August 1915 to return to the old coat from 1877 with a slight change in the pattern (falling coat collar instead of stand-up collar) and in a horizon blue shade (M1877 / 1915).
On April 21, 1916, the Fourragère was introduced, a lanyard that was awarded as an award to a unit after at least two honorable mention in the army report. In fact, by 1916 a considerable number of units had already been mentioned several times in the various army orders. These then received the new award. As the war continued, more and more commendations were given to individual units, making it necessary to create gradations. This was done through differentiations in shape and color with an order of February 22, 1918.
At the beginning of the war, the standard armament included the unpopular and bulky 1.35 m long Lebel rifle M1886 / 93 , caliber 8 mm, which was originally developed for the once advanced smokeless 8 × 50 mm R Lebel rifle cartridge. Its associated M1886 needle bayonet with cross blade had been manufactured in Germany until 1914. From 1915 the Lebel rifle, which had various defects, was largely replaced by the somewhat more reliable Bertier rifle M1907 / 1915 and M1907 / 16 in caliber 8 mm with the rifle sling M1907 / 14 made of natural brown leather. For this repeating weapon the needle bayonet M1915 was issued without the previous crossguard.
At the beginning of the war, the belt equipment consisted of black-dyed leather and three cartridge pouches from the 1888 and 1905 models. The only difference between these pouches was the changed belt loops. Two cartridge pouches were pulled right and left onto the blackened leather belt, the third also sat on the belt in the soldier's cross. In order to lighten the weight of the heavy bags, a Y-shaped black leather belt carrier M1892 was put on, which could be hooked into each of the three bags with brass hooks. The paddock equipment was slightly revised after the start of the war and is now issued in natural leather colors. The belt was closed with a large brass clasp that did not show any imprints. But already at this point in time the blackened leather belt M1903 with a two-prong buckle was already being worn. This belt was slightly revised again in 1914 and from December 1914 onwards it was only issued in natural leather colors. From this belt there were also simplified war versions with only one thorn. The three leather cartridge pouches for each soldier were redesigned in 1916 and now also delivered in natural brown.
A beige bread bag with a fabric strap, which had been introduced in 1892, was worn over the shoulder for personal effects, provisions and cutlery. The fabric strap of the bread bag crossed on the soldier's chest with the blackened leather strap of the large M1877 canteen. This bottle made of tin-plated sheet iron had two drinking openings of different sizes, each of which was closed with a cork. According to the regulations, the smaller opening had to face forward. The bottle was covered in the same blue fabric that made up the heavy coat M1877. With the introduction of the horizon blue fabric, the cover of the canteen also changed to this color. From the summer of 1915 a larger and heavier two-liter canteen M1877 was issued to the entire army, which was originally intended only for the troops stationed in Africa. Visually, it did not differ from the smaller M1877 canteen.
A new knapsack was issued from 1893 onwards. As was common at the time, it had an integrated wooden frame. The straps were made of black leather and had carrying or fastening straps that were hooked onto the belt cartridge pouches. The weight load had been reduced too soon, since blankets and tarpaulins were no longer part of the combat equipment in France during the First World War. A cloth bag for storing spare shoes and the cookware introduced in 1852 were carried on the knapsack.
As a head covering the red served Képi M1884 with dark blue band. The regimental number - corresponding to the collar tab - was attached in a red circle on the ribbon. The blue fabric cover, which was introduced in 1913 to hide the eye-catching red kepi, remained France's only concession to modern warfare at the beginning of the fighting in 1914. Since the French headgear was even less protective than the German spiked hat, from March 1915 the "brain pan", a little popular simple metal bowl, was introduced under the new Kepi, introduced in 1914, which was a simplified version of the Kepi M1884 made of English-blue-gray fabric , could be worn. The shell was a stopgap until the introduction of a helmet of its own. But she already showed in tests that around 60 percent of the shrapnel ricocheted off her. A total of around 700,000 brain sockets were produced and distributed. Despite the otherwise recognizable backwardness in contemporary equipment solutions, the French army was the first to introduce a gray-blue painted helmet made of one millimeter thick steel in September 1915, based on the fire helmets common at the time. Its protection quality was below that of the German steel helmet. The French helmet was produced in 70 work steps and issued in three sizes. There was a horizon blue and a khaki colored cover for this French "Adrian" helmet, which was abolished again in summer 1916, as it was feared that shreds of cloth would get into the wound if bullets were fired.
After the gas war began , the French army urgently looked for makeshift protection for its soldiers. The gas protection cushion was first issued in May 1915. This pillow consisted of a small rectangular rubberized bag which was closed with a button. In that bag was cotton soaked in sodium carbonate and sub-sulphurous salt. In an emergency, the soldier had to hold this pillow in front of his mouth and nose, which made it impossible to continue the fighting. Since the eyes were also left unprotected, many French soldiers lost their eyesight. When not in use, the pouch was attached to a button on the coat. In order to be able to remain active during the gas attacks, the French army needed gas protection that did not require the wearer's hands and protected the eyes. Therefore, at the end of 1915, the first real French gas mask with associated solitary gas protective glasses was issued. This mask was kept in a gray-blue painted flat oval metal container that was attached to the belt. Another further development, the M2 gas mask, was used from spring 1916 to the end of 1918. The M2 combined the glasses with the rest of the mask, making it easier to put on quickly. The M2 was kept in a rectangular metal container, painted blue-gray, which was attached to the official left cartridge pocket and was therefore a bit of a hindrance when walking. To further improve the gas mask, those in charge of the French army tested both the Allied and German gas masks. It turned out that the German model including the container had many advantages, which is why the ARS gas mask (ARS = Appareil Respiratoire Spécial ) was introduced from November 1917 - parallel to the M2 mask that was still being issued . The ARS mask was a replica of the German model with the typical unscrewable metal filter cartridge. The mask was carried - also based on the German model - in a blue-gray, round and fluted metal container, which no longer hindered the soldier because it was carried on the back. From 1918 the containers were painted khaki.
Foreign Legion
At the beginning of the war, the Foreign Legion set up four marching regiments in France. Many foreigners living in France joined their ranks and were reinforced by veteran legionaries from North Africa . The new units were fully equipped with the uniforms of the regular French line infantry in red and blue and sent to the front. Only a few inconspicuous features made these regiments recognizable as legionaries. From the spring of 1915 these soldiers, like the entire army, received the new horizon blue uniforms. In addition, the overall strength of the legion was drastically reduced. This was due on the one hand to the heaviest losses during the fighting in Champagne, on the other hand to the surrender of not inconsiderable foreign forces to the armies of their countries of origin. The remaining units were combined on November 15, 1915 into a single marching regminent, the Regiment du Marche de la Légion Étrangère (R. M. L. E.) was called. As early as the winter of 1915/16, the R. M. L. E. received its own uniform, which was originally intended as equipment for the North African Foreign Legionnaires. This uniform resembled the infantry version, but was colored khaki. The R. M. L. E., together with the R. I. C. M. (Regiment de 'Infanterie Coloniale de Maroc), became the most awarded unit of the French army during the First World War. A total of 2100 legionnaires died at that time.
The Foreign Legionnaire wore the pantalon-culottes, which were introduced to the line infantry shortly after the start of the war in 1914, based on the pattern from April 1915. The wool was dyed khaki for the Legion. The knee-high wrap gaiters worn with it varied in the fabric color. The khakiton in French productions was more yellow than the goods imported from Great Britain.
The coat M1877 / 1915 was also worn in the Legion both in khaki color and in the blue of the horizon of the line infantry. As a badge, the R. M. L. E. wore the traditional grenade of the Foreign Legion made of metal on the rectangular, also khaki collar tabs. Since green was declared the Legion's weapon color on December 9, 1914 , this grenade was painted green. The rectangular collar tab was changed to a triangular shape parallel to the infantry in January 1917.
As with the old coat M1877, a cotton scarf was worn again, which was tied like a tie. The color of the Legion was khaki.
The beige bread bag M1892 remained unchanged , the fabric strap of which still crossed the leather strap of the canteen M1877 over the soldier's chest. Only the leather parts of the bottle were now natural brown and the fabric cover of the Foreign Legion consisted of the same khaki wool as their coat.
The legion possessed an additional piece of equipment, traditional for this troop, the ceinture bleue , a very wide dark blue belly band made of 4.20 meters long wool, which was originally able to protect the legionnaires from the cold desert nights. During marches and parades, the ceinture bleue was worn under the leather belt, but over the coat.
In contrast to the general infantry, the Foreign Legion's gas mask containers were always painted in khaki.
Belgium
Like the French, the Belgians had failed to implement a clothing reform. The equipment followed to the same extent German and French models of the 19th century. The straight-cut gray-blue trousers had two vertical side pockets and the width could be adjusted with a sewn-on belt. The Belgian soldier wore a vest of a similar color under a heavy dark blue wool coat that was buttoned in two rows. As in France, the cloaks could be buttoned back during marches. The regimental number was stamped on the brass buttons. As in France, it was not intended to take off the heavy, cramped coat.
The knapsack was covered with black fur on the outside and lined with gray fabric on the inside. A light-colored blanket was carried around the knapsack as a horseshoe roll with four black straps. The black-painted, kidney-shaped cookware, like the knapsack, also followed the German model and was held on the knapsack lid with a black leather strap. In 1914, Belgian infantrymen wore laced and nailed black leather boots as footwear. For this purpose, half-height, black-painted leather gaiters, which had a lacing with metal hooks on the front, were used.
The standard weapon of the line infantry was the Mauser M1889 carbine, caliber 7.65 mm. This weapon was the first small caliber model made by the Mauser company especially for Belgium. The bayonet was carried in a coupling shoe made of black leather, and the bayonet scabbard itself was attached to the spade according to the German model.
Belgian soldiers wore a black felt shako , which was already ancient at the time, as headgear , with the regimental number embossed in brass on the front. During combat, a black oilcloth cover was placed over the shako, on which the regimental number was painted in white. In addition, a red wool pompon was attached to the front cover .
This outdated uniform was replaced in 1915. The new Belgian uniform look was now based heavily on the French model, while the coupling equipment was clearly similar to the British one. Like the British, it was manufactured by the English company Mills. The new khaki uniform fabric also came from Great Britain. As with the previous uniform and as usual in France, the long, heavy coat was never taken off during use.
The khaki-colored uniform trousers M1915 had a straight cut like the previous trousers, had two side pockets and a sewn-on belt. The half-height leather gaiters were also retained unchanged. Instead of black, they were now painted brown. The same was true for the lace-up boots. Here, too, brown leather color was used.
The uniform coat M1915 was provided with eight khaki colored buttons, which carried the Belgian lion ( Leo Belgicus ) as an emblem. Strands on the epaulettes made the weapon type visible, otherwise no badges were worn on the coat, which had two large side pockets with straight flaps. There was a width adjustment belt on the back. Following the French model, the coat tails were turned back on the march and each fixed with a button.
The khaki-colored kidney-shaped cookware and the German Mauser M1889 carabiner were retained from the previous equipment.
The French M2 was used as a gas mask in a metal container, also painted khaki.
Russia
After the catastrophic outcome of the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), the tsarist army command recognized the need to modernize their army . It seemed important to make the equipment lighter and more practical.
The breeches made of green-brown cotton , introduced in 1907, had two vertical side pockets . The “gymnastiorka” with a stand-up collar, which was introduced in 1912, served as a tunic. This slip jacket was part of the traditional clothing of Russian farmers. There was a thin cotton version for summer and a wool version for winter. Even in times of peace, the many manufacturers in the Russian Empire never achieved the uniformity in execution that was customary in the West, so that there were various different Gymnastiorka variants. Typical were the stiff epaulettes, which the Russian army still knows today, on which the numbers or symbols of the units were embroidered.
A leather belt with the brass lock M1904, which carried the double-headed tsar's eagle, was worn over the gymnastiorka. Two natural leather-colored oblong cartridge pouches M1893, each containing six loading strips of five cartridges each, were pulled onto the belt to the right and left of the breech.
Instead of a knapsack, the Russian soldier was given an oversized M1910 bread bag made of water-repellent gray-beige fabric that could be carried over the shoulder and as a rucksack. As in Germany, the almost knee-high leather "Knobelbecher" were used as footwear, which are still worn almost unchanged in the Russian army today.
As a standard weapon, the Russian soldier carried the M1891 rifle, caliber 7.62 mm . The bayonet, with its musket-like type of attachment, for which there was no scabbard, remained permanently attached, as the M1891 rifle was shot in this way. Removing the bayonet resulted in a deterioration in the shooting pattern.
The cap M1907 / 10 was used as headgear . It was made of linen or cotton and dyed light brown. The umbrella was made of leather. On the front of the cap there was a metal cockade in the colors of the Russian imperial family - orange and black. The gray beige fur hat M1910 with a brown fabric lid was used in winter. Its sides could be turned down to protect the ears and neck. She too wore the metal cockade. A special steel helmet was not introduced in the Russian army during the First World War.
Great Britain
British infantry in general
In 1914 the British had probably the most modern equipment. Your army has always had to wage a skirmish or war in some occupied country of the vast British Empire. Therefore, no other army at that time was so well trained through constant use and had such a profound wealth of experience.
The khaki service trousers M1902 had two vertical side pockets and were always worn with suspenders. The simply and practically cut uniform jacket M1902 was issued in the same color and was worn almost unchanged until 1937. The jacket was closed in a single row with brass buttons on which the regimental name was to be read as a combination of letters, it had a pocket with buttoned flaps on each skirt and at chest height, with the breast pockets being designed in the form of flaps. In the shoulder area, fabric reinforcements were underlaid against the chafing of the belt equipment and fabric satchels ("pannier") introduced in 1908. The jacket had sewn-on epaulettes on which the regiment was also recognizable in a combination of letters made of brass. Only a few units had other badges sewn on.
Short laced nail boots made of blackened leather served as footwear, with khaki-colored leggings rolled over their shafts below the knee. The tried and tested Enfield rifle No. 1 MkIII , caliber .303 British, use that had a bayonet that was standard equipment.
The stiff khaki-colored service cap M1905 with a fabric-covered peak was lined with black oilcloth. In front was a badge of the respective unit made of brass. The rigid visor cap proved to be unsuitable for the modern Central European theater of war at the latest in the first winter of the war and was replaced by a new, very soft visor cap model as early as 1915, which was called " gorblimey " because of its unsoldy and ugly appearance . Gorblimey is a corruption of the English curse "God blind me", in German "Lord, let me go blind"! This headgear had ear and neck protection that could be folded down in bad weather. In November of the same year, the British Army was the second in the world to introduce a steel helmet, the MK I ("soup plate") made of manganese steel, which was optically based on a helmet shape common in the Middle Ages, but mainly from the requirements of trench warfare got its special shape. Initially, the helmet, which weighed around 980 grams, was only given to the soldiers in the front positions and gradually distributed to all units. The MK I was pressed from a steel plate in just one work step, a deep-drawing process . Due to the urgency of the matter, longer tests were not carried out, but great importance was attached to a high-quality helmet lining. This helmet was made in a slightly different design from the beginning of 1918 as M1917 by the Americans who entered the war in 1917 and was worn until the beginning of the Pacific War in 1941. The British MK I was produced until February 1919, and its similar successor was also worn for decades.
Scottish Highland Infantry
The Scottish Highland Units ( Seaforth Highlanders ) differed from their English comrades in that they had a tunic adapted to the kilt . The actual kilt with a total length of 6.5 meters had a colored tartan and was covered with a light brown protective cover made of fabric during combat operations. The knee socks had garters in the shapes and colors of the various units and were covered in the lower third by light brown fabric gaiters, which were replaced by wrap gaiters soon after the start of the war. Most of the Scottish infantry regiments also carried the Glengarry , a boat that had been introduced in the 1860s. The units could be identified by means of different colored tartan ribbons, which took up the lower part of the boat as a wide border, or the lack of these ribbons. In addition, a metal regimental badge was attached to the front on the right side. In the neck, the Glengarries had two longer single-colored strips of fabric that reached down to the neck. The rest of the equipment was British standard.
Canada
From August 1914 to January 1917, the Canadian government set up five divisions for service in the British ranks. The first units reached France in February 1915. As early as 1916, 300,000 Canadians took part in the fighting under British command. The total number of Canadian soldiers under arms came to 628,000 men.
Canada adopted the British uniform introduced in 1902 because of its strong ties to the British Empire. There were only important differences in the badges and in the armament. The Canadian bolt-action rifle Ross Mk III in caliber .303 British, which had been manufactured by the Ross Rifle Company since 1910, was used. It is considered the most sophisticated weapon that this company has produced and was a further development of the "Ross rifle" first introduced in 1903 by the Scotsman Sir Charles Ross. Canada decided against the introduction of the British Enfield rifle after a diplomatic war with Great Britain. For this Ross rifle, of which the Mark IIIB variant was still produced in 1914, a very wide bayonet was used, which was part of the standard equipment. But as early as 1916, the new Commander in Chief of the British Expeditionary Army, Sir Douglas Haig, ordered the popular Ross rifle to be replaced by the British standard rifle Lee-Enfield, which provoked some conflicts between influential figures in Canada and Great Britain. However, since the Ross Rifle Company could not keep up with the output figures of the Enfield rifle, the Ross rifle was replaced and the contract with Sir Charles Ross was canceled. Many Canadian rifles were used up for training purposes in Canada and Great Britain or came into the hands of snipers, who valued the weapon for its precision. Some were converted to light machine guns in Quebec and were used in the front.
Italy
Italian infantry in general
As in many European countries, there was a reorientation in uniforms in the Kingdom of Italy at the beginning of the 20th century. As an ally of the German and Austrian imperial families, the equipment standards of these countries made themselves felt.
In 1909 a uniform material was introduced that was very similar to the German field gray. It was called "green gray" in Italy. From this point in time, the natural-colored leather finish introduced in 1907 was also adapted to this color by chemical treatment. During the war, however, the leather items of equipment that had been made before the color match were also carried on.
The straight cut trousers M1909 had two diagonal side pockets. There was a lacing on the ankles. These trousers were very similar to the trousers of the mountain troops introduced at the same time, but with a wider cut on the thigh. In the same year, a new tunic with a short stand-up collar was introduced, on which a crimson collar tab was sewn, which bore the Star of Savoy. All Italian soldiers wore this star. The skirt and pants were made of the same fabric. In addition, small beads of fabric were attached to the seam between the arm and shoulder area, which prevented the equipment from slipping off. The skirt had neither epaulettes nor outside pockets. The pockets that were still present on some pieces were added later by the troops.
A gray-green woolen sweater could be worn with the uniform when it was cold, which was originally intended only for the mountain troops, but was later adopted by all infantry units.
In 1912 a waist-length, gray-green, light cloak was introduced, which all infantry units received at the beginning of the war. This cloak was closed with a hook at the collar. There was also a badge with the Star of Savoy on it. This cloak could also be closed further down with a hidden button.
The Italian infantry generally only used the beige haversack introduced in 1907 to transport food, personal items and hand grenades. The bag was hung with a firmly sewn adjustable cloth strap and had a leather loop for hanging other items.
The canteen, introduced in 1907, was made of willow or poplar wood and had iron tires. This bottle could be attached to the bread bag or belt by means of a leather strap. During the war this bottle was replaced by a model made from modern materials. The body is now made of aluminum and covered with felt.
The natural leather-colored mountain boots issued from 1912 were originally only introduced for the mountain hunters ( Alpini ), but were also issued to them after the large mass of Italian infantry had to operate in the Alpine region. These boots were cut higher at the ankle for a good grip.
Initially , the knee-high green-gray wrap gaiters M1909 were also only intended for the Alpini , replacing the old black wrap gaiters that were still worn until the war. In the same year, woolen knee socks were also purchased for the Alpini, which could also be worn under the wrap gaiters in winter. After the infantry were also equipped with gaiters and - initially improperly - with stockings at the start of the war, gaiters were dispensed with in many places. From 1916, wool socks became an official part of the infantry uniform.
The Italian soldier carried the Mannlicher Carcano carbine M1891 / 1892 “Fucile” , caliber 6.5 mm, with him as a regular weapon, the cartridge (6.5 × 52 mm without rim) being obsolete at the beginning of the 20th century was true. During the Italo-Turkish War of 1911/12 it became clear that the carbine itself was technically obsolete. The Italian light infantry marched into the war in 1915 with the shortened model of the Mannlicher Carcano carbine M1892 "Moschetto Cav.", Which had an attached folding bayonet. This version was originally reserved for the cavalry. The bayonet M1891 was issued for these weapons, which hung in a sheath on the coupling shoe of the coupling.
The Italian leather belt M1907 has been chemically treated to achieve a gray shade similar to the uniform. The belt itself had a simple clasp; left and right the two cartridge pouches were pulled open. To hold their weight, the soldiers wore a simple leather strap around their necks that could be hooked into both pockets. The individual compartments of the two-part M1907 cartridge pouch took four loading strips with six rounds each, so that each infantryman had a total of 96 cartridges.
The M1916 steel helmet was a copy of the French steel helmet, but was drawn from just one piece of steel and was painted dark gray-green at the factory. It took many attempts before those responsible were satisfied with the result. There was a helmet cover for the helmet in various muted colors and different types of fabric, which, among other things, should prevent the metal from reflecting. Originally, the Italian military had thought of importing the French helmet. Some units painted, sewed or embroidered their badges on the fabric cover on the front of the helmet.
Light Infantry (Bersaglieri)
As headgear, the Bersaglieri (light infantry) wore a wide hat M1871 with black-green rooster feathers on the right side. A brass grenade with crossed rifles and regimental number was set over the white-green cockade. For field use there was a gray fabric cover with an embroidered badge on the front. Since the Italians had the same experiences with their headgear as all warring nations, a steel helmet was introduced in 1916 - based on the French model in the form of a fire helmet. In contrast, the Italian helmet was pressed from a piece of steel and was painted a dark gray-green. In some cases, units and branches of service were painted on the face of the helmet. For this helmet, which had been developed after a few unsuccessful test copies, there were fabric covers in muted colors. The Bersaglieri also attached their cock-feather headdress to the helmet.
Mountain Hunter (Alpini)
The Alpini wore a pair of pants M1909, which was very similar to the pants M1909 worn by the infantry. In contrast to the mountain trousers, however, the infantry trousers were cut wider on the thigh.
In 1910 it was decided to introduce a gray-green felt hat in the traditional alpine shape. Another hat in the shape of a melon, discussed in parallel, was therefore rejected. A pompon in the respective four battalion colors (green, red, white or blue) was on the left side of this hat, behind the hat band a single feather was tucked, which was white for the staff officers. This hat is in use almost unchanged to this day.
United States of America
The US only entered World War I in 1917, despite having previously supported the Entente . The first US soldiers arrived in France in June 1917.
In 1902 the US Army had given up its traditional dark blue (“Prussian blue”), which came from the Prussian army tradition of the War of Independence established by Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben and other German officers , in favor of a khaki uniform. The color was chosen after the experience of the Spanish-American War in 1898, when the low camouflage effect of the dark blue color became apparent in tropical climates and a new awareness of the advantages of camouflaging clothing had established itself. Another innovation from 1902 was the almost complete abandonment of leather in the equipment. This had been replaced by the use of cotton materials and canvas, as was the case with the British Army in 1908. The advantages of modern equipment made of fabric were mainly in the simpler manufacture and the resulting lower manufacturing costs. In addition, the material required less maintenance than leather. The disadvantages of this new equipment lay mainly in the generally shorter durability.
The first US soldiers to set foot in Europe wore breeches-style breeches that had been introduced in 1912. The trousers had doubling on the outside in the knee area and had two pockets on the back and two pockets on the front. In addition, a watch pocket was attached to the front right. A cloth belt went with these pants. Like the trousers, the tunic was put into service in 1912. He had a high-necked, stiff stand-up collar on which the metal letters "US" were to be seen on the right and the badge of the branch of service - in the infantry crossed rifles - with the regimental number and the company letter. The jacket was closed with five large metal buttons at the front. Smaller buttons were attached for the two lap and chest pockets. The American bald eagle was embossed on all buttons .
One of the most significant deficiencies in American equipment was found in the ankle-high natural-colored leather lace-up boots. This important piece of equipment was developed for dry battlefields in the southern United States and was very easy to carry there. But it was completely unsuitable for trench warfare on the softened soil of Europe. However, this deficiency was quickly recognized, so that as early as 1917 new leather marching lace-up boots were brought to the front. This model made of heavy brown leather had double-stitched and often nailed soles. The previous boots, which were perceived as more beautiful, were now only worn to the exit and during barracks duty. The canvas gaiters M1910, which were laced through eyelets on the front, shared this fate. In accordance with the requirements of the European war, shortly after the first missions, the US soldiers received knee-high wrap gaiters in a shade similar to the uniform material.
The American army had no haversacks . The materials and other items otherwise stowed there were housed in a rucksack-like piece of luggage, the "combat bag", which was introduced in 1910, and were therefore not quickly accessible to soldiers. The combat bag was a theoretically well thought-out object, but inadequate for practical use, inconvenient and therefore not very valued. Even the successor models M1928 and M1936, which were still used in large quantities during the invasion of Normandy during World War II , were so unpopular that the soldiers threw them away at the first opportunity. The combat bag could only be carried with a detachable belt belt carrying frame and in connection with the belt and the cartridge pouches. It contained food, laundry, and the cookware in a removable flap. The Springfield bayonet, introduced in 1905, was attached to the left side of the bag along with the M1910 scabbard. The M1910 shovel, which was very large and heavy compared to other armies, found its place under the cookware pocket, with the wooden handle reaching up to the level of the buttocks. Under this handle was the possibility to attach a blanket and poncho, tent sheet and tent cutlery. These parts were rolled into one another and held lengthways by loom belts. With good packing work, the khaki-colored wool blanket, visible on the outside, reached just below the buttocks. As the description of the pannier makes clear, it was laborious and relatively time-consuming for the soldier to assemble this transport vessel in such a way that there were no obstacles during the march. Often the soldiers lashed their roles together with additional parcel cords and similar aids before tying them to the combat bag, since there were no freely deployable straps for American equipment.
The equipment also included the M1910 canteen, which is still used today in the US Army in a similar form with modern materials. At that time, this aluminum bottle still had a cup that was placed over the bottom of the bottle. In came a filzgefütterte khaki cloth bag, the neck of the bottle with two push buttons has been closed. The abbreviations “US” were printed in black on the front of the cloth bag.
A small first-aid cloth bag was carried on the paddock, in which there was a locked metal box. This bag was also closed with two smooth press studs.
The Springfield rifle M1903 / 05 , caliber .30-06, was used as the standard weapon of the infantry . Since this was rarely available, most soldiers used the M1917 rifle, which was a British Pattern 1914 rifle converted to US caliber . The M1907 rifle sling made of high-quality full leather was initially issued for this weapon, which was later replaced by an inexpensive webbing sling. This excellent repeating rifle was based on the model of the German Mauser System 98 and was still in use during World War II. In addition, the technically groundbreaking gun belonged M1911 , which John Browning had developed, the standard equipment of US soldiers.
Ten cartridge pouches, each with two loading strips of five shots each, were attached to the wide belt belt, which had been introduced in 1910. The cartridge pouches were firmly attached to the belt and could therefore not be removed. They were closed with press studs embossed with the American eagle.
In contrast to most of the warring nations in 1917, the Americans initially believed they could do without a steel helmet. Her troops therefore wore the khaki-colored stiff campaign hat M1912, which was actually called stetson and was of civil origin. In a similar form, the stetson has already been introduced to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Mounties) around 1904 , after having been an unofficial item of clothing there for decades - besides the official white pith helmet. In order to make the difference to the Canadian police clear, the four tricks in the hat were not placed across, but along the axis of the face.
Soon after the first devastating casualties, the Americans were demanding helmets and gas masks from the British. But as early as the beginning of 1918, the production of its own American steel helmet (M1917) was started, which optically was very closely based on the British model. This helmet was made from manganese steel and had a khaki brown rough coat of non-reflective paint. While the inner lining was made of black fabric, the helmet strap was made of natural brown leather. In the last months of the war in 1918, the Americans followed the British model in painting the division badges on helmets.
157th Division Goybet
Due to the strict American racial segregation and diverse prejudices in the population, African Americans were usually only allowed to fight in independent units. For the war in Europe they were combined in the 92nd Division. Black contingents arriving later in France placed the US Army under French command. Due to centuries of colonial experience , there were far fewer fears of contact with Afro-American US citizens in France. Therefore they formed the infantry of the 157th Division with four regiments. Most of the relatives there, from soldiers to officers, were black. Regarded by the French as useful reinforcement, Goybet's 157th Division was thrown to the front. The units quickly became known for their fearless courage, as their commanding general, Mariano Goybet, praised.
In addition to the general American infantry uniform, the Afro-American soldiers wore the simplified khaki uniform jacket M1917. For rational reasons, however, they were equipped with French equipment. This included the complete harness, gas mask, canteen, helmet and rifle.
literature
- Jürgen Kraus The German Army in World War I - Uniforms and Equipment 1914–1918 Verlag Militaria Wien 2004 ISBN 3-9501642-5-1 .
- Rest-Ortner-Ilmig The emperor's rock in the First World War, Militaria publishing house, Vienna 2002, ISBN 3-9501642-0-0 .
- Adjustment regulation for the kuk army part I – VII kuk Hofdruckerei, Vienna 1912.
- Johannes Denecke: camouflages of the German army 1914 until today. Bernard & Graefe, Bonn 1999, ISBN 3-7637-5990-5 .
- Robert J. Marrion, Donald S. Fosten: The German Army 1914-18 . Osprey, London 2003, ISBN 0-85045-283-X .
- Nigel Thomas: The German army in World War I . Part 3: 1917-18 . Osprey, Oxford 2004, ISBN 1-84176-567-8 .
- Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the First World War . Dißberger, Düsseldorf 1990, ISBN 3-924753-28-8 .
- Laurent Mirouze, Stéphane Dekerle: The French Army in the First World War. March 1914 . Vol. 1: Uniforms - Equipment - Armament . Verlag Militaria, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-902526-08-3 .
- HP Willmott: The First World War. Gerstenberg Verlag, Hildesheim 2004, ISBN 3-8067-2549-7 .
- Roger Phillips, Jerome J. Knap, Sir Charles Roß And His Rifle , Historical Arms Series No. 11, Museum Restoration Service, Ottawa, several editions since 1969 ISBN 0-919316-11-5 (English).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kraus, p. 152.
- ↑ Kraus, p. 155.
- ↑ Kraus p. 609.
- ↑ Kraus, p. 611.
- ↑ Kraus p. 198.
- ↑ Kraus p. 37.
- ↑ Kraus, p. 105.
- ↑ Kraus. P. 95.
- ↑ Kraus. P. 106.
- ^ A b Max Schwarte : The Great War 1914–1918 - The Organization of Warfare, Part Two , Verlag Johann Ambrosius Barth, Leipzig 1923, p. 181.
- ↑ a b Gerhard Hirschfeld , Gerd Krumeich , Irina Renz , Markus Pöhlmann : Encyclopedia First World War , Verlag Ferdinand Schoeningh, Paderborn 2003, p. 864.
- ^ Standard Ordinance Sheet for the Austro-Hungarian Army, 13th Abbot, 1544 ex 1909 from June 18, 1909.
- ^ Standard Ordinance Sheet for the Austro-Hungarian Army, 13th Abbot, 1654 ex 1914 of July 14, 1914.
- ^ Standard Ordinance Sheet for the Austro-Hungarian Army, 13th Abbot, 20091 ex 1915 from April 17, 1915.
- ↑ Normal ordinances of the Austro-Hungarian Army, 13th abbot, 56878 ex 1916 of 27 November 1916th
- ↑ Rest-Ortner-Ilmig "The Emperor's Rock in the First World War" p. 176 ff.
- ↑ “Adjustment regulation for the kuk army” Part I p. 49 ff.
- ↑ Rest-Ortner-Ilmig "The Emperor's Rock in the First World War" p. 199.
- ^ "Adjustment regulation for the kuk army" Part I, p. 76.
- ↑ “Adjustment regulation for the kuk army”, Part I, p. 60.
- ↑ Rest-Ortner-Ilmig “The Emperor's Rock in the First World War”, p. 213 ff.
- ↑ Rest-Ortner-Ilmig “The Emperor's Rock in the First World War”, p. 398 ff.
- ↑ See there.
- ↑ Rest-Ortner-Ilmig “The Emperor's Rock in the First World War”, p. 417 ff.
- ↑ Rest-Ortner-Ilmig “The Emperor's Rock in the First World War”, p. 134 ff.
- ^ Mehmet Mihri Özdogan: Nation and Symbol: The Process of Nationalization using the Example of Turkey , Campus Verlag, Frankfurt / Main 2008, p. 262.
- ^ Friedrich Wilhelm Deiß: The great world war. In: The German Soldier Book. Vol. 2, Verlag Melchior, 1926. p. 241.
- ↑ Technology and Wehrmacht , Verlag ES Mittler, Berlin, 1913, p. 89.
- ↑ a b Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the First World War . Dißberger, Düsseldorf 1990, ISBN 3-924753-28-8 , p. 58.
- ^ William Wayne Giffin: African Americans and the color line in Ohio, 1915-1930 . Ohio State University Press, Columbus 2005, ISBN 0-8142-1003-1 , p. 83.