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Swiss World War 1 uniform plus cap, what can you tell me?
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<p>[QUOTE="Ladybranch, post: 7252, member: 44"]Came across a better website showing Swiss military uniforms: Tunics, Hats, insignias, etc. with better explanations. I just looked at your hat again. I now think it is a Tschako rather than a Shako because has a double-like bill/visor front and back. According to the following site, the jacket and hat do look like they date c1900 plus or minus 10 years. According to the following site:</p><p>Piping:</p><p>Scarlet: Infantry, artillery, engineers, fortress troops and supply.</p><p>Crimson: Cavalry, general staff, cyclist</p><p>I don't know if the piping on this jacket would be considered scarlet or crimson.</p><p><br /></p><p>Buttons and rank insignias:</p><p>White: Infantry, Cavalry, Medics</p><p>Yellow: Carabiniers, Artillery, Cyclists</p><p>The buttons on your uniform seem to be yellow.</p><p><br /></p><p>Infantry Pompom - company:</p><p>It is hard to be sure of some of the colors. Green could be Infantry - Catering or Fortress Troops - Observer.</p><p><br /></p><p>Round cockade/Canton Badge is the same as on that other site: Red and Black for the canton of Bern.</p><p><br /></p><p>The cross rifles on the hat is the insignia for the fusiliers and carabiniers - branch of service.</p><p><br /></p><p>The number on the hat is the battalion number - 24th Battalion.</p><p><br /></p><p>The 3 silver cords around the hat may mean catering???</p><p><br /></p><p>I'm not sure what the 2 buttons with crosses on the shoulder represent. It could for a 1st Lieutenant??? As there are no rank insignia/strips on the arms of the tunic I suspect it is the tunic of a private but with the 2 buttons on each shoulder, I just don't know.</p><p><br /></p><p>With all the above, I'm not sure just what military rank or branch of service; however, am leaning towards Cyclist because of the crimson piping and yellow buttons. According to the following from the same site, cyclists were Bicycle units, the "infantry’s main reconnaissance units." Then again Artillery is a good possibility because they had scarlet piping and yellow buttons.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>"Fusiliers</b></p><p><i>96 Battalions + 96 Landwehr Battalions</i></p><p>Fusiliers are the bulk of the infantry and as such the whole Swiss Army. Recruits chosen to this trade have to be in good physical shape to manoeuvre in the difficult Swiss terrain.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>"Carabiniers</b></p><p><i>8 battalions + 8 Landwehr battalions</i></p><p>In the infantry recruit school the best shots were selected to join carabineer battalions instead of the fusiliers. A number of them were former cadets or members of the numerous shooting societies.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>"Machinegunners</b></p><p>Swiss army machinegunners were issued with the MG 11, a water-cooled weapon based on the Maxim machine gun and close parent of the German MG 08.</p><p>Machinegunners formed separated battalions at divisional level in 1912. In 1916 individual companies were incorporated in fusilier and carabinier battalions. A year later they adopted their own Tschako badge to replace the former crossed-rifles infantry one.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>"Bicycle units</b></p><p>Cyclists were the infantry’s main reconnaissance units. Bicycles were seen as fast and relatively manoeuvrable in difficult terrain and as such quickly adopted by the army. The model 1905 bicycle remained in use until 1990.</p><p><br /></p><p>To see all the pics of the above, scroll about a 1/3th of the way down the page to message #394 "<b>The Swiss Army in 1914-1918</b>". Go to the 6th section of that message and click all the Spoilers "SHOW" white squares. Also scroll to the next section "Combat branches and units" and see the sections of Infantry and Artillery clicking any Spoiler "SHOW" white squares.</p><p><a href="http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?398692-WW1-RESEARCH-THREAD/page20" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?398692-WW1-RESEARCH-THREAD/page20" rel="nofollow">http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?398692-WW1-RESEARCH-THREAD/page20</a></p><p><br /></p><p>--- Susan[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Ladybranch, post: 7252, member: 44"]Came across a better website showing Swiss military uniforms: Tunics, Hats, insignias, etc. with better explanations. I just looked at your hat again. I now think it is a Tschako rather than a Shako because has a double-like bill/visor front and back. According to the following site, the jacket and hat do look like they date c1900 plus or minus 10 years. According to the following site: Piping: Scarlet: Infantry, artillery, engineers, fortress troops and supply. Crimson: Cavalry, general staff, cyclist I don't know if the piping on this jacket would be considered scarlet or crimson. Buttons and rank insignias: White: Infantry, Cavalry, Medics Yellow: Carabiniers, Artillery, Cyclists The buttons on your uniform seem to be yellow. Infantry Pompom - company: It is hard to be sure of some of the colors. Green could be Infantry - Catering or Fortress Troops - Observer. Round cockade/Canton Badge is the same as on that other site: Red and Black for the canton of Bern. The cross rifles on the hat is the insignia for the fusiliers and carabiniers - branch of service. The number on the hat is the battalion number - 24th Battalion. The 3 silver cords around the hat may mean catering??? I'm not sure what the 2 buttons with crosses on the shoulder represent. It could for a 1st Lieutenant??? As there are no rank insignia/strips on the arms of the tunic I suspect it is the tunic of a private but with the 2 buttons on each shoulder, I just don't know. With all the above, I'm not sure just what military rank or branch of service; however, am leaning towards Cyclist because of the crimson piping and yellow buttons. According to the following from the same site, cyclists were Bicycle units, the "infantry’s main reconnaissance units." Then again Artillery is a good possibility because they had scarlet piping and yellow buttons. [B]"Fusiliers[/B] [I]96 Battalions + 96 Landwehr Battalions[/I] Fusiliers are the bulk of the infantry and as such the whole Swiss Army. Recruits chosen to this trade have to be in good physical shape to manoeuvre in the difficult Swiss terrain. [B]"Carabiniers[/B] [I]8 battalions + 8 Landwehr battalions[/I] In the infantry recruit school the best shots were selected to join carabineer battalions instead of the fusiliers. A number of them were former cadets or members of the numerous shooting societies. [B]"Machinegunners[/B] Swiss army machinegunners were issued with the MG 11, a water-cooled weapon based on the Maxim machine gun and close parent of the German MG 08. Machinegunners formed separated battalions at divisional level in 1912. In 1916 individual companies were incorporated in fusilier and carabinier battalions. A year later they adopted their own Tschako badge to replace the former crossed-rifles infantry one. [B]"Bicycle units[/B] Cyclists were the infantry’s main reconnaissance units. Bicycles were seen as fast and relatively manoeuvrable in difficult terrain and as such quickly adopted by the army. The model 1905 bicycle remained in use until 1990. To see all the pics of the above, scroll about a 1/3th of the way down the page to message #394 "[B]The Swiss Army in 1914-1918[/B]". Go to the 6th section of that message and click all the Spoilers "SHOW" white squares. Also scroll to the next section "Combat branches and units" and see the sections of Infantry and Artillery clicking any Spoiler "SHOW" white squares. [url]http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?398692-WW1-RESEARCH-THREAD/page20[/url] --- Susan[/QUOTE]
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Swiss World War 1 uniform plus cap, what can you tell me?
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