by Rudy Scott Nelson
Flag was three horizontal bars of white over green over red plus a red canton with a gold rampant lion located in it. Cockade was outside-in: white-green-red. While the M1908 uniform was issued to most troops, some units continued to wear elements from the old uniform, especially the forage cap. Many infantry troops continued to wear the combined shoes and leggings made of pigskin (tsarvuli) hide material with leather straps. Could it have been as an insult to the Moslem Turks? The elite Guard regiments wore the M1908 uniform with different facings. (Cap band, epaulets) Gray-green = pants, tunic and blanket; Black = Harness, boots and field cap; Undyed Overcoat Princess Clementina Regiment/ 9th Plovdiv = Medium Blue
Elite Artillery regiments were: 3rd Prince Boris and the 4th King Ferdinand M1908 Infantry Uniform: Very Dark Gray-Green = Tunic, Pants and blanket; Black Boots or pigskin footwear; White = haversack; The M1890 forage cap was retained. A Grayish white linen Summer uniform was also available but being a Autumn-Winter War it was not used. M1890 Infantry Uniform: In 1890 the Bulgarians adopted a uniform that was based on the Russian style of the era. The forage cap was the popular Russian civilian cap (furishika). The common wool (shaiak) of Bulgaria, an yellowish-earth-gray color, was used both natural and dyed in uniforms. Officially the color of the coat and pants was Dark green but much of the artwork shows Dark Brown clothing colors. Also, Bulgarian sources state that the basic regimental coat was actually undyed shaiak with Dark Blue pants, collar and cuffs. The color of the forage cap may vary but many sources (including the Bulgarian) has all caps as black with a cockade and facing color band. While even the elite Clementine Regiment is shown in the old style, most of the units still wearing this style would have been Reservists. Artillery troops wore a Brown coat with red shoulder straps. Black collar and cap band. Black collar and cap band colors for Engineers and other Support troops with Branch insignia on the epaulets. M1908 Cavalry Uniform: Gray-Green = Coat, pants and saddle cloth; Black Harness and horse harness; Red = Cap band, collar patches and epaulets. The M1890 forage cap was retained. M1890 Cavalry Uniform: Dark Blue Tunic and pants; Red = Collar, Cuffs, Epaulets and pants stripe; Regiments have distinguishing piping colors (1st = white, 2nd = red, 3rd = yellow); Black = Boots and Busby w/ a thin frontal white plume. 4th Cavalry Rgt Uniform : Olive green = Tunic and pants; Strawberry red = Collar, Cuffs, Epaulets and pants stripe; Blue but some have white piping; Black = Boots and Busby w/ a thin frontal white plume. Life Guard Cavalry Regiment wore the M1908 Uniform with Dark Blue pants in the field with rose red collar and a crab red cap band. A very elaborate Hussar Uniform for parades.. Militia Levy Uniform: Peasant clothing with Black kolpack and pigskin shoe-leggings. Example shown has Blue pants, Brown jacket, white shirt and black waist sash. Kommitadji Volunteers from Macedonia: A semi-military uniform was often used but varied between groups. Brown coat and pants; Black or brown Harness; Black fur kolpack style cap; Pigskin leggings. Overview of Uniforms Worn During the Balkan Wars Back to Time Portal Passages Winter 2002 Table of Contents Back to Time Portal Passages List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by Rudy Scott Nelson This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com |