Landsturm Posted 18 February , 2007 Share Posted 18 February , 2007 The French Army 1914-18 (Osprey Publishing) by Ian Sumner & Gerry Embleton; The Navy provided landing parties of sailors, but more significantly, a number battalions of fusiliers-marins, which fought as a brigade under Contre-Amirl Ronarc'h in Belgium throughout the war, and a number of groupes mixtes of armoured cars attached to both infantry and cavalry formations (N.B. a fusilier-marin is one trade specialisation amonst others within the French Navy - they are not marines in the British or American sense) The uniform was the standard Navy issue, with a rating's cap, and a cap atlly with the approriate number and "Régiment de Fusiliers-Marins". A white chin strap was worn across the top of the cap in full dress, but was often detached in the trenches. Petty and commissioned officers wore a blue peaked cap, with a gold anchor on the front, and rank indicated by narrow strips of gold braid (flag officers had rows of oak leaf embroidery, and between one and three silver stars, according to rank, placed over the cap badge). Sailors appear to have retained the jumper (at least for off-duty wear), worn over a striped shirt, and regulation trousers. Initially these were worn in leather gaiters, but the latter were replaced by dark blue puttees. Army infantry greatcoats were worn (probably without the jumper), with the rating badge of crossed anchors on the upper right sleeve, and any other speciality badge on the left. After the change to horizon blue in the Army, puttees and greatcoats of this shade were certainly worn by naval personnel, but they appear to have retained their navy uniform as much as possible throughout the war. There does not apper to have been any use of army-style collar patches on the greatcoat. Infantry equipment was carried. Adrian helmets, when they were issued, had an anchor badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landsturm Posted 18 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2007 some photos I found, hopefully they are useful... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landsturm Posted 18 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2007 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landsturm Posted 18 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2007 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 18 February , 2007 Share Posted 18 February , 2007 Hopefully the web site administrator will move a couple of posts from the Kut post to this one. I appreciate the uniform information and photos! Very helpful. This vignette is for Marc Megroot, a very talented (!) Dutch figure painter and modeller. I have a feeling this will be among the last figure models Marc and I collaborate on because he's just tried sculpting and shown quite an aptitude for it! Alas. First of all, I'm using this photo as my "reference" for the vignette. The vignette will show both figures relaxing in the trench with one looking thru the trench periscope that is fixed in place on the barrels of their two Lebel rifles. Don't ask me how these guys would have shot at anything they saw thru the periscope!?? I've already gotten a bit of both figures completed, but nothing for "show and tell" yet. Soon. More photos and illustrations to come. All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 18 February , 2007 Share Posted 18 February , 2007 Some images of Fusilier Marins... An illustration by G. Ripart - post war, I believe. A uniform on display in a museum - I have little idea where, unfortunately. Holland? Belgium? Sent to me by a friend. Again, thanks for the posts on the uniforms and the photos - most helpful! All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Posted 19 February , 2007 Share Posted 19 February , 2007 These are fabulous reference fotos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 19 February , 2007 Share Posted 19 February , 2007 There's a larger version of the G. Ripart illustration in Uniforms... All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 19 February , 2007 Share Posted 19 February , 2007 Because of file size limits I'm going to break this posting into two parts. As I said, I'm working on two figures of French Fusilier Marins for a friend. Thought it might be interesting for you to see the work in progress. Here's two photos of the work in progress on the first figure. This is the Marin leaning down and looking through the trench periscope. I think he looks a bit like Hemingway. Maybe? All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 19 February , 2007 Share Posted 19 February , 2007 And this is the second figure, the one nearer the camera in the black and white reference photo. Hope you like them. Lots more to come on this vignette. I've also sculpted the fire step, several duckboard planks for the bottom of the trench. The scale for all of this will be 120mm or about 1/15th / 1/16th. All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 20 February , 2007 Share Posted 20 February , 2007 Slightly off topic (sorry) but Dan where were the museum photos taken? Looks a good museum. Regards TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 20 February , 2007 Share Posted 20 February , 2007 The two I posted were sent to me by a Belgian friend, so I'm guessing the Belgian Army museum. The other one was posted by Landsturm, so you'd have to ask him. Incidentally, I'm correcting a number of errors in both figures next before I move on. You should keep in mind that the photos blown up as large as these show many details that you won't be able to see at all if you were looking at them with the naked eye and actual size - especially when painted! The first time I ever blew up one of my figures like this and saw all the scratches, dings and mistakes I nearly freaked until I realized that I was looking at details I couldn't see any other way. All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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