James Beach - The German Army Handbook of 1918

(a.) Jacket ( see Plate 3).The field service jacket ( Bluse ) of universal pattern for all arms and ranks is shown in the Plate, and consists of a loose-fitting jacket of field-grey (grey-green) cloth, fastened down the front by hooks; turned-back cuffs of the same material as the jacket; stand and fall collar of special field-grey (grey-green) cloth used for badges ( Abzeichentuch ) ; shoulder straps of various materials and colours (see below), fastened by dull metal buttons bearing a crown; side pockets closed by similar buttons. The collar patches worn by certain regiments (Guards, Grenadiers, Fusiliers, and certain units of the Communication Troops) are shown in paragraphs II.d and III.A.

(b.) Shoulder straps. There are considerable alterations to the shoulder straps of the jacket and greatcost of the field service uniform; the particulars of the colourings of shoulder straps are summarized in the following table. It will be observed that each arm or branch of the service can at once be distinguished by the colour of the cloth of which the strap is made, except in the case of Ulanen and Horse and Field Artillery, for both of which it is scarlet.

THE NEW FIELD SERVICE JACKET.

A man of the Guard Field Artillery wearing the new field service jacket, helmet with cover but without ball, and chin strap instead of chin chain.

(1.) Except 2nd Foot Guards, 2nd Grenadier Guards and 8th Grenadiers, which are scarlet; 3rd Foot Guards, 3rd Grenadier Guards, Guard Fusiliers, and 7th and 11th Grenadiers, which are lemon-yellow; 4th Foot Guards, 4th Grenadier Guards, and 145th Infantry Regiment, which are light blue ; and the 141st Infantry Regiment, which is light green.

(2.) Except Guard Scktzen Battalion, which is black.

(3.) Crimson for 2nd Cuirassiers.

(4.) Except for 22nd Dragoons, which is now black only.

(5.) Except for 3rd Horse Grenadiers, 7th and 15th Dragoons, which are pink, and 11th and 12th Dragoons, which are crimson.

(6.) White for 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th and 17th Hussars ; remainder golden yellow. The 1st Body Hussars now wear the Imperial Monogram.

(7.) Ulanen now wear angular shoulder straps instead of the former special oval shape.

(8.) Except that the scarlet edgings of the 2nd Guard Ulanen and 2nd and 6th Ulanen are abolished and the edging of the 13th Ulanen is now light blue.

(9.) Those of the more recently formed 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th Regiments are identical with those of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Regiments respectively, while that of the 7th Regiment is pink.

(10.) Except for 1st Regiment, which is lemon-yellow, and 7th, which is pink.

(11.) Except for 1st Guard Field Artillery Regiment, which is white, 3rd Guard Field Artillery Regiment, lemon-yellow, and 4th Guard Field Artillery Regiment, light blue.

( c .) Shoulder cords (officers). Field shoulder cords will be worn by officers on the jacket ( Bluse ) and greatcoat; for officers below the rank of General they have a uniform width of inches without any stiffening; they consist of a cloth strap of various colours, corresponding to those of the shoulder straps of the rank and file (in the Infantry and Jger the colours correspond to those of the edging of the shoulder straps of the rank and file). This strap forms a foundation for the cords and badges, which are dull and of a size corresponding to the present size for captains.

The only exceptions to the above are as follows:

(d.) Collar patches of all arms except Infantry. The details of the collar patches of Infantry regiments and Jger battalions have been shown for convenience in the table on pages 159 and 160; the remainder are shown in the following table :

(e.) Trousers and pantaloons. No alterations to these have been published, except that officers pantaloons must correspond in width and cut to those of the rank and file.

(f.) Helmets, etc. Helmets and lance caps will be fitted with removable spikes or balls or upper portion, which will not be taken into the field. Chin straps will replace chin chains for wear with helmets, shakos, busbies and lance caps (see Plate facing page 156).

(g.) Field service cap. A new field service cap has been introduced for officers (details have not yet been published) and the field service cap for the rank and file will, in future, be a peaked cap of field-grey (grey-green) cloth. There are no alterations to the colours of the cap bands ( see page 150),. but a field-grey (grey-green) band is worn in the field to cover the coloured cap band.

(h.) Greatcoat. A universal pattern greatcoat of field-grey cloth is being introduced for mounted and dismounted branches of all arms. The polished buttons are being replaced by dull metal buttons. The shoulder straps for Infantry and Jger will be made of the same cloth as the greatcoat and will have the same edgings as the shoulder straps of the jacket ( Bluse ) ; for all other arms the shoulder straps are identical with those on the jacket ( Bluse ).

(i.) Leather Equipment. The following changes have been introduced :

• ( a ) A field service belt ( Feldkoppel ) of dark brown grained leather for officers instead of the old officers waist belt ( Feldbinde ). Sashes will no longer be worn in the field by adjutants, who will then, like all other officers, wear the field service belt ( Feldkoppel ).