Trench craftsmanship - French aircraft model Nieuport

Sometimes improperly called "trench" craftsmanship because they can be made by soldiers between two offensives, but just as often by prisoners, civilians (war wounded for example) or industrialists and not necessarily in the trenches themselves, and sometimes some objects are even post-war. Nevertheless, many soldiers did kill time by producing objects with materials from the field.
Here, a wooden, sheet metal and copper wire model (approximate scale 1/20th) presumed to be from a Nieuport.
The Nieuport, a single-seater biplane fighter, and entered into action in the French air force in 1916, it is known to have stopped the hecatomb inflicted by the Fokkers of the German army thanks to its speed (155km/h -110hp) and its good manoeuvrability. Among others, the Aces Georges Guynemer and Charles Nungesser flew on this aircraft.
The copper sheet used for this model (wings) most probably comes from shell casings which are widely used as raw material for trench art. They are still very often found today, carved or chiselled, thundering on the edges of grandparents' chimneys ...

Will be shown in "civilian - at rest" section

Prussian reservist spike helmet  Model 1895

Helmet with Prussian reservist tip. Black patent boiled leather and brass attributes. The front plate here depicts the Prussian eagle surmounted by a white metal Maltese cross which characterises the reserve troops. In 1914, the reservists reinforced the 50 divisions that made up the German army in peacetime, increasing to 105 divisions in August 1914. The emblematic tip of this helmet serves as a ventilator on the one hand and is supposed to deflect the sword blows to the head. Very conspicuous and not very protective, it was quickly covered with a canvas helmet cover to hide the reflections, and was definitively replaced by the stahlhelm (steel helmet) in 1916 protecting its wearer much better against shrapnel and other miscellaneous projectiles.
The spikehelmet (Pickelhaube) was worn by the Prussian troops even before the War of 1870, and was widely used as a symbol, particularly by the propaganda of all nations.
Even if the spiked helmet is directly associated with the German army, it is important to note that it was not only used by the Germans (British, few American countries) and still today of course as far as ceremonial uniforms are concerned.

Exposed in "german advance - occupation 1914-1915" section

1902 pattern Service dress tunic - Canada

Khaki woollen canvas tunic equipping British troops and more widely the great majority of Commonwealth troops (except for officers, Scottish kilted troops, or Australian troops for example). Here this example, made in Montreal, wears the attributes of the Canadian troops. This tunic will be used throughout the conflict without major modification. And, unlike the French uniforms, for example, it was adapted to the conditions imposed by the modern battles of the First World War, particularly thanks to the khaki colour inherited from colonial experiences. This model underwent some minor modifications in 1922 for (minority) use during the Second World War. In combat, as far as officers were concerned, in order to better mingle with the troops during assaults, and thus avoid being targeted first, they were allowed to wear this tunic instead of or over the effects normally reserved for their rank (tunic in a different fabric, sometimes in a lighter shade and with a totally different cut, very visible grades at the front of the sleeves which will then be moved to the shoulders for greater discretion).
Khaki wool, cotton lining, brass buttons, Canadian brass attributes.

Will be shown on "Hundred days of Canada August-September 1918" section

Scottish glengarry of Argyll and Sutherland regiment

Navy wool, black fine cloth lining, red and white checkerboard, leather border, small red wool tassel (toory).

A kind of cap which would have appeared at the end of the 18th century, traditional headgear of the Scottish troops (kilted or not). Worn in battle until the arrival of the Brodie helmet in 1915. It is not the only headgear, of course there is the Brodie Helmet (named after its inventor John Brodie) but also the Tam o'shanter or the Balmoral (kind of beret). The particularity of this glengarry is the red and white checkerboard stripe that runs around it, specific to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (A&SH) regiment. It symbolises the 'thin red line', a representation of a heroic defensive cordon put in place by the troops of the 93rd Sutherland Hinglanders (later the A&SH) to repel the Russian cavalry at the Battle of Balaclava (Crimean War - 1854). The red tunic of the defenders is symbolised in this chequered form. Usually, for military use (also used in civilian use) the regimental badge (capbadge) is found on the glengarry but is absent here. A thin black ribbon is also normally visible at the back of this headgear, it is also missing, cut, worn, or simply that time has done its work...

This example will be presented in the "Battle of Arras - April 1917" section.

French cap of french infantry second lieutenant (97ème Régiment d'infanterie Alpine - 97e RIA)

Black and red wool, gold braid and chinstrap, brass insignia (numbers) of the 97th RIA, brass buttons, black leather visor, thin canvas lining.
The cap (kepi) was worn by all French troops at the beginning of the war before the appearance of the Adrian helmet in 1915 and the standardization of the matching uniform in "horison blue" (1915-1916). Naturally, the troop model (kepi model 1884 used at the beginning of the war) and that of the officers are not identical. The main difference lies in the presence of gold braids on the top of the headdress, on the perimeter (1 line for the rank of second lieutenant) and the chinstrap maintained by two small buttons with a fusing grenade. This kind of kepi model is sometimes called "képi polo".

The RIA (Régiment d'Infanterie Alpine) were at the time dedicated to the defence of fixed positions such as forts, as opposed to the more mobile Chasseurs Alpins regiments. Far from the mountains, the 97th RIA was on the outskirts of Arras at the end of September 1914, and came under German fire on 1st and 2nd October 1914 at Wancourt and Guemappe during the First Battle of Artois. They will take part in stopping the German advance in front of Arras, whereas the invader breaks on Artois by Cambrai at the time of the episode of "the race to the sea" after having been pushed back at the time of the battle of the Marne (more details on our page History).

This object will be presented in the section "First combats - German invasion October 1914".