Please post your world war one french uniforms and equipment!

[cricketchris1944]

Yes very nice stuff,from volunteers even better.

[wingandprop]

A French pilot's uniform, a couple flight helmets including a Roold, flying badges (pilot and observer), collar tabs, etc. The uniform is an earlier version, the collar tabs being twice as large as the unattached tabs shown in the case. I am always amused by the use of sequins as part of the embroidered badges. Theatrical, but produces a very nice impression. The wings on the uniform are of the thin stamped out variety and are actually sewn to the uniform. The observer's badge and the badge with the picture are both of the heavier type and are numbered. None of these items are named, but the pilot's badge with the photo do go together. I may not know the name of the pilot whose badge I now have, but I know his face. I do have some more, goggles, another helmet, etc., but these are the choice bits. I can do more detailed pics if anyone likes.

[Croix de Guerre]

Wow! Wonderful collection you have there! You say the french pilot is unidentified? How long have you had the group? Looking over his shoulder it seems you have a great deal of interesting Air Service material. Any roundels or aircraft canvas?? I like the way you have framed some of your items and the antique display case gives an elegance to the artifacts and your room. What is the story on the American pilots uniform? Is it identified and are the more artifacts associated with it? Thank you again for sharing this with us!
Tom

[Croix de Guerre]

A unknown metal vehicle sign brought home by an American volunteer with the Reserve Mallet, an M2 gas mask bag and although not technically french, all these uniforms with the exception of the RFC tunics were made in Paris.

[wingandprop]

Thank you for your kind comments. I don't think of myself as an advanced collector by any stretch of the term, but my friends take issue with that. I do have several uniforms and lots of miscellaneous stuff, almost all of it aviation oriented. (I did recently decide that I had to have a .303 SMLE as a nod to the courage of the trench blighters.) The French uniform is not identified, nor is hardly any of my collection. The French wings in the frame with the photo belonged to the man pictured, but I do not know his name. They came together in a (very poor condition) period frame and the wings had stained the photo paper where they were in contact, and wore through, over time. I reframed them both together.

I always get documents framed and preservation mounted on an acid free mat and with UV resistant glass as a nod to the next person who will have them. The custom framing protects them and enhances their appearance, but it could be argued that I would have had another couple thousand dollars in my collection if I wasn't hanging that money on the wall instead! My wife, of course, would take issue with that and point out that there would be much better uses for that money than more bits and pieces of junk! Pearls and diamonds would spring to mind. Or a really nice pair of shoes!

The American uniform is (almost certainly incorrectly) attributed to Andrew J. MacElroy and it is all together except the shoes and the leggings (I have the original leggings, but the straps are a bit worse for wear, hence the period substitutions), but there is no valid documentation to connect this uniform to MacElroy. The seller claimed to have gotten it through the family. It was made by a Paris tailor, but I believe the attribution is incorrect. Neither I nor the seller had any idea who MacElroy was when he made that statement, but research has since shown he ended the war as a Major and as commander of the 23rd Aero Squadron and was one of only 77 DSO recipients during WW1. Certainly, he might have had more than one uniform, and this could be from his days as a Captain, but that wouldn't explain the Army of Occupation style patch. That patch should be on his uniform with his Major's insignia. So for now this one is just another "unknown". Of course, it could also be that someone in the family set it up after his death with whatever rank was available. Who knows!

No roundels or crosses...I wish! I did buy a roundel at an auction several years ago, but sent it back when it arrived. It was a real roundel, but almost certainly not from WW1.

[Gustaf B]

Some very nice French items, here is my contribution,

[Croix de Guerre]

WOW! Fantastic! Could you take some closer detailed photos of the gear?

[reneblacky]

Jeeze nice display I thought for a second it was an action man!

[ObKrieger]

Just out of curiosity... Why did the French decide to make their uniforms so blatantly, utterly, visibly blue?

[Gustaf B]

Just out of curiosity... Why did the French decide to make their uniforms so blatantly, utterly, visibly blue?

The Horizon Blue was a marked improvement over the blue and red of the earlier uniform, The thinking was that a horizon blue would be difficult to see on the horizon, and in the fog. I suspect it was a good camouflage in the areas where the ground was made of chalk as well.
Best
Gus