Peter Doyle Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Here's an interesting image (apologies for the poor quality). Tinted at the time, it depicts (as you can see) a soldier in a 'khaki' uniform, with peaked cap, cap badge, puttees, leather belt and bayonet. He is clearly not a soldier in the British army - his uniform and equipment soon identify that - but to which nation does he belong? I've tried a few avenues but thought it best to ask the wider GWF community, this on behalf of an American friend who's father has had this image hanging on his wall for decades. Any help gratefully received. Best wishes Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Irish Army perhaps??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Doyle Posted 30 June , 2011 Author Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Irish Army perhaps??? I guess you mean post 1922? Interesting idea... P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrough Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 But did the Irish Free state army ever wear putees? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Difficult to make out his cap badge, but I'm almost certain that during the Irish Civil War and just after it was difficult to distinguish between the I.N.A. and our own regulars, plus a lot of I.N.A. members were ex-British soldiers. Once the Civil War was over and things had settled down, I believe thay adopted a uniform, which was more distinguishable from our own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 I'll sound a voice of dissent FWIW - I don't think it is Irish (of any stripe) My guess would be eastern/central European although I don't think I can be more specific Reasoning: - far too many buttons on jacket for it to be based on a British style. Just had a quick flick through a couple of books on the Irish civil war and they almost all (with some variantion) appear to have far fewer. Bayonet - does not look like any British pattern to me (appears to have a metal scabbard) Posing with bayonet - uncommon in "British" pictures far more common in Austo-Hung/Russian/German pictures - I am not sure why but I believe the pattern of bayonet(and adornments thereon) may have been a rank symbol (esp for NCOs - for example there is an NCO pattern 1895 mannlicher bayonet which this one resembles.) Cap - the peak is small and the crown very high and stiff - far more like the Russian style with a small oval badge (to my eyes anyway)than the British. As for the tinting - I am not sure how much we can rely on the colour because 1) it changes over time/age on pictures and 2) it may only have had a passing resemblance to the correct colour to begin with - especially if it was tinted (in the US for example) by someone with no knowledge of the original colours. The uniform does not look Austro-Hungarian or German to me - but has some of those influences - with some Russian I think - so perhaps one of the slavic states? just my 2p Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Some form of Belgian uniform I believe - the style of pocket flap is fairly distinctive: http://www.schipperfabrik.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117_157&products_id=572 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Some form of Belgian uniform I believe - the style of pocket flap is fairly distinctive: http://www.schipperfabrik.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117_157&products_id=572 Wasn't the Belgian one a version of the US one (similar pockets) and with a stand / round collar? This seems to be what the picture description you linked says too? The collar in the picture looks to have a stand/fall collar (albeit fastened high in the picture), and it is hard to see from the pics - but how many buttons were on those? they look too broadly spaced to me. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Doyle Posted 30 June , 2011 Author Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Thanks - my thoughts were either Belgian or something like Czech legion. I thought the bayonet looked like a Mauser pattern, and agree that there are way too many buttons. The owner's family certainly hailed from eastern Europe. Any specifics would be of value. Best wishes and thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrislock Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 My Czech wife ventures out of the kitchen, peers over my shoulder, points at the screen and shouts Czech Legion Nazdar and then goes straight back to the Kitchen. There you go. Solved!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom W. Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 I'd say Czech, because of the nine buttons down the front. Czech and Polish Legions wore uniforms with nine buttons, while the Belgian khaki tunic had six buttons on the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Doyle Posted 30 June , 2011 Author Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Excellent - I like the Czech seal of approval Anyone got another Czech picture for me? Cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom W. Posted 30 June , 2011 Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Excellent - I like the Czech seal of approval Anyone got another Czech picture for me? Cheers Peter I got this one from here: http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?138192-Czechoslovak-army-1918-1938 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Doyle Posted 30 June , 2011 Author Share Posted 30 June , 2011 Very convincing! Thanks! Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 21 July , 2011 Share Posted 21 July , 2011 My Czech wife ventures out of the kitchen, peers over my shoulder, points at the screen and shouts Czech Legion Nazdar and then goes straight back to the Kitchen. There you go. Solved!! And of course, as was noted in an earlier post, the bayonet does look like a Mannlicher 1895 NCO model, so it all ties in! Trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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