AN INVISIBLE ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1635, 31 December 1912, Page 5

AN INVISIBLE ARMY.

NEW DESIGN FOR FRENCH ARMY' UNIFORMS. ■ The Council of Directors at the French Ministry of War have decided the future t uniform of the French army, the object in view being the invisibility of the troops in the field. The Council adopted a grayblue colour both for the long coat and , for the tunic. The present "kepi" will be £ -maintained,-, but it: will be covered, until the present stock of headgear, is exhausted, 1 , with waterproof material of the same colJ our. as the coat. The stiff cloth collar will - be narrowed-so as to give the neck freer 3 ; movement. As to the shining metal butr tons, v it is considered that in the field they will not be polished, and.will conser quently become dull enough not to attract the attention of the enemy. Tho 1 red trousers will not be abolished, as the 5' long coat of the French infantrv Lardly allows them"; to be seen in the field, and ;. they will also be partly "concealed by the leather' waiters which in future will'he ' universally employed. The existing epaulettes will be maintained, but will be eov- , -ered by a less visible material in the field. A soft knapsack of cloth, similar to that, in use in the' British army, will in fu-, ture be adopted. The water bottle'' and the haversack, which are at present slung. . over the shoulders, with the effect that the chest of the, soldier is contracted by the pressure of the straps, will in future be. attached to the waist-belt. .