The French WW1 Uniform

During World War I, the French infantry uniform underwent significant changes to adapt to the evolving nature of warfare. At the war's outset in 1914, French soldiers wore the dark blue tunic and greatcoat combined with red trousers, which made them stand out too much. By 1915, the French army introduced the "bleu horizon" uniform, a more practical blue-gray color. Leather stockings were replaced by puttees of the same colour. Soldiers got the Adrian helmet, gas masks, and trench knifes. And the soldiers got rid of their rucksack during attacks which gave them more freedom of movement.
Some things did not change. Think of their notably shaped water canteen. The leather belt and ammunition pouches barely underwent change. And the same goes for the rifle and the long bayonet. The French used two types of rifles. The standard Lebel Model 1886 rifle was used throughout the war. The more modern Berthier also saw extensive action during WW1 and in the years after.

[samuelphillips]

My favourite part of the uniform is the Helmet the bayonet and the rifle and the Blue colour

[FreddieMercury]

Some of the ww1 belgian and french cuirassier uniforms wouldn't have looked odd on a Napoleonic battlefield. Bizarre in retrospect

[LesRealLlama]

At least they learned haha, would of been bad if they still wore that in the modern day.

This was a cool video tho, never really see much videos like this these days. By that i mean videos on the more “behind the scenes” stuff during any war that isnt ww2, so GGS 🔥❤️

[GabrieleRuggiu]

Can you please do ww2 Italian uniforms and ww1/ww2 German uniforms please?

[empereurrenard]

Years prior to the conflict, attemps were made to try and change the uniform which the war simply accelerated. The uniform was changed because the red dye was imported from germany and France could only make the horizon blue color in large quantity for it's army. Wearing it for months, sleeping, walking and fighting in mud, rain, fields, forests, towns, it very quickly gets dirty. The only part of it that made it visible was the belt buckle that reflected the sunlight. It's a popular belief that came up after the Great War that it was changed because the whole uniform was too visible, and you are then spreading misinformation by the lack of doing proper research on the subject.

And I even wonder how did you come up with the cantine being "notably shit" ?

[mammuchan]

Strangely the uniforms looked really “scruffy”, not smart at all, but were also not practical.