Overview of Uniforms Worn
During the Balkan Wars

Greece

by Rudy Scott Nelson



Flag had a Light Blue field with a white St George's Cross in the center. Also some flags had a picture of St George slaying the dragon in the center of the flag. The naval ensign was the current modern Greek National flag but in a Royal Blue. Another interesting flag was that of the Italian Garibaldini Volunteers which was the St George's Cross on a Royal Blue field and with the Italian Tricolor on the cross arm next to the staff.. The cockade was outside -in white-blue.

Like other nations of the region, the Greeks were in the process of adopting uniforms of a more modern style. As a result units were wearing either the M1870 or the M1910 uniform. The Evones based on artwork and text actually wore three uniform variations. Also, the Greeks employed numerous volunteers wearing native dress or parts of the old M1870 uniforms. Gendarmes were used to capture islands and patrol rear areas as well as some (especially Cretans) being in volunteer units.

The Phario was the characteristic Greek floppy Fez with black tassel. The soft kepi style of the 1870s was retained as the forage cap style with the M1910 uniform.

EVONES in M1880 Uniform: White = leg hose, Fustanella (skirt and waistshirt); Red phario and collar; Heavily gold embrodiered red vest; Brown harness and shoes with Black Pompom.

Evones in M1910 Uniform: White = trouser-leggings ; Khaki = flared coat and phario w/ black tassel; Red = epaulets; Brown harness and shoes; Black Pompom on the shoetip. Evone officers wore the standard M1910 uniform. Some artwork (of the 7th and 10th battalions in Dec 1912) shows them wearing the M1910 style uniform but with red phario and mid-blue flared coats.

M1910 Uniform: Khaki = Coat, pants, overcoat, cap and neck flap; Red = Epaulets and piping; Brown = harness and shoes or boots for cavalry; Officers wore Khaki Puttees or Brown boots. German style backpack. Silver = Rank Chevrons piped with branch color. Branch colors are : Infantry = red, Engineers = Dark Blue, Artillery = red , Cavalry = Cherry red.

M1870 Cavalry Uniform: Green = "Attila" short jacket, forage cap and trousers; Cherry red = pants stripe, collar, cuffs. Black = boots and Hussar jacket braid.

M1870 Infantry Uniform: Dark Blue = coat, soft kepi. Pants were Dark Blue for Artillery and Engineers or Light Blue for infantry; Red collar = Infantry; Carmine collar = Engineers, Dark Blue collar = Artillery

Gendarmes wore the M1870 uniform: Mounted Gendarmes and officers had the Cherry pants stripe. A photo of a Samos Gendarme has him wearing an Evone style Dark Blue uniform.

Cretan Gendarmes wore an Italian inspired uniform. Black = Boots, Jacket and baggy trousers and kolpack style brimless cap. A characteristic purple waist sash is worn. Brown = Harness

Macedonian Volunteer uniform is based on the dress adopted by pro-Greek factions during the 1902-08 revolt. It was similar to an M1870 Evone uniform with black Fustanella and cloak. Brown shoes with Black Pompom on the shoetip, Black = Harness and cap rather than phario.

Garibaldini Italian Volunteers: Wore the M1910 uniform. Khaki = Trousers; Red = Coat and forage cap. Brown harness and boots.

Proskopos Volunteer Rangers: Most wore the M1910 uniform but some wore a khaki Evone style uniform. The artwork shows no branch epaulets and he has a neck flap and puttees.

Hellenic Naval Landing Party: Dark Blue pants and an open seaman's jacket The jacket's square collar flap is mid-blue with white striped border. Rank stripes are in red. . The undershirt is blue and white striped. Black shoes and white ankle leggings; Dark Blue brimless cap.

Overview of Uniforms Worn During the Balkan Wars


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