German Uhlan Uniforms from 1915 onwards

[Brutus]

Hi, I've seen some photos of a "Ulanka M15" which is a simplified version of the 1908 version. I was wondering if the m15 feldbulse used by infantry also saw use with uhlans or the only uniform change they had was the 1915 Ulanka simplification.

[FROGSMILE]

This is a question for forum members @GreyC , @AOK4 and @charlie2, I’m sure one of them will be along soon.

Edited 2 May , 2024 by FROGSMILE

[AOK4]

18 hours ago, Brutus said:

Hi, I've seen some photos of a "Ulanka M15" which is a simplified version of the 1908 version. I was wondering if the m15 feldbulse used by infantry also saw use with uhlans or the only uniform change they had was the 1915 Ulanka simplification.

I have seen normal infantry uniforms in use by the cavalry formations that were turned into infantry in 1917/18 (Kavallerie-Schützen-Division).

[GreyC]

I don´t have any photos of m15 Infantry Bluse worn by Ulanen in my collection, unfortunately.

GreyC

[deutscherinfanteriest]

if I remember a 1917 of a Sosstrupp, they had still own bluse

Maybe I have to say it is an Eastern Front photo. On the Western it could be different due mud and the frequency of too worn clothes

[Glenn J]

On 01/05/2024 at 15:32, Brutus said:

I was wondering if the m15 feldbluse used by infantry also saw use with uhlans

Simply put, yes.

The September 1915 regulations made no provision for any other field jacket other than the Bluse. In fact the introductory order specifically introduces the Bluse to replace the field grey Waffenrock, Attila and Ulanka. (Armee-Verordnungs-Blatt 1915, page 421, paragraph 9b. Of course, the older model uniforms continued to be worn in tandem with the new for the rest of the war.

Please see below two images from the history of Ulanen-Regimenter 11 and 15. Also an extract from a period publication showing the main orders of dress available to Ulan officers following the 1915 uniform changes; The new full dress Ulanka, Bluse and Kleiner Rock.

Regards

Glenn

Senior NCOs from 4./UR 11

Signal Platoon of UR 11 in September 1918

[Brutus]

Thanks for the clarification-- I was under the impression that the only modifications was simplifications of shoulderboards 

[deutscherinfanteriest]

m1907/10 enlisted fedbluses continued to be used until November 1918 and some even by Freikorps (Pickelhauben were seen in Berlin streets) but anyway many in 1918 wore 1915 feldbluses

In my opinion, cavalrymen on the Ostfront were often in a quiet sector. On the Westfront the mud and the deployment in every offensive, made soldiers cavalrymen similar in uniforms and behaviour, with rifles in the trenches and no horses.

 

[deutscherinfanteriest]

The First World War changed military traditions into an average field gray. French cavalry had no more hats or riding boots. The same Italian cavalry and élite troops as Bersagliero except collar tabs, with steel helmets on frontline, were identical to infantrymen

[AOK4]

37 minutes ago, deutscherinfanteriest said:

The First World War changed military traditions into an average field gray. French cavalry had no more hats or riding boots. The same Italian cavalry and élite troops as Bersagliero except collar tabs, with steel helmets on frontline, were identical to infantrymen

It's not just that. In case of the German cavalry, in 1917, a lot of the cavalry regiments were either disbanded or turned into infantry units (retaining their name though) as horses were in big demand.

[Brutus]

I'm no expert but I wouldn't say this is entirely true. It didn't doom cavalry as a whole, just conventional cavalry tactics. Hit and run tactics and reconnaissance usage were fairly common... Also, with the new "triangular division" practice in 1918, most German divisions had at least one attaché of mounted cavalry (but only like one squadron)

Stuff like this wouldn't happen in the WW2 if fancily dressed cavalrymen were still throwing themselves at machine gun positions as depicted in media