Overview of Uniforms Worn
During the Balkan Wars

Ottoman Turkey

by Rudy Scott Nelson



Flag was the traditional red field with a white crescent moon and star.

The Turkish army was in a state of uniform transition. Some units mostly Nizam were wearing the 1909 gray-green uniform while other units mostly Redif were still wearing the older dark blue uniform. Mutafiz troops wore traditional clothes or partial uniforms. Examples observed include:

Enlisted Infantrymen in Old Uniform
Dark Blue = Tunic and pants;
Black = Harness and boots
Dark Gray or black = backpack;
Brown = haversack;
Red = Fez w/ black tassel

Facing colors were located on the collar, cuff patch, epaulets, and rank stripes.

Facing colors were red = infantry, rifle/light infantry = Mid-green, engineers = Light Blue, artillery = red.

Cavalry in Old Uniform: Dark Blue = Tunic; Light Blue pants with red stripe; Black = Harness and boots; Red = Fez w/ black tassel. Facing colors were located on the collar, cuffs, epaulets, saddlecloth edging and rank stripes. Cavalry wore regimental facings with red and green being the most common.

Enlisted Infantrymen in new 1909 uniform: Brown = Tunic, pants, overcoat, shoes and harness; Dark Brown = puttees; Facing color = Epaulets and kolpack crown top. Facing colors were infantry = khaki, rifle/light infantry = olive green, engineers = Light Blue, artillery = dark blue; cavalry = light gray. Some pictures show artillerymen and redif troops still wearing a red fez All Infantry officers in both Nizam and Redif units were wearing the new 1909 uniform.

Sultan's Guard lancers: Dark Blue = Tunic, pants and saddle cloth; White = crossbelt; Black = boots and fez w/ red top; Red = Lapels, Saddle cloth edging and facings

Sultan's Zouave Guard Rgt: Basic Zouave uniform with the turban cap. Dark Blue = Tunic and pants; White = Leggings and Turban wrap; Red = Turban crown, sash and piping; Black = shoes and harness

Turkish Marines Wore a seamen's uniform with black army boots. White = Pants and shirt; Dark Blue = Jacket; Red = Fez and rank stripes. Albanian Mustafiz : Wearing traditional clothes and fur cloaks and overcoats; All are wearing a white skull cap. Plates show a predominately white shirt and pants with black cloak.

Macedonian Mustafiz: Wearing traditional clothes and fur cloaks and overcoats; Ethnic Greeks are wearing a red Greek floppy fez. Muslims are wearing a stiff red fez.

Overview of Uniforms Worn During the Balkan Wars


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