Landships II

Ironsides · Legend

General Order 7 Headquarters American Expeditionary Force (GO7 AEF)

Rectalgia · Legend

Can't find it but suspect those early orders (Jul-Aug 1917?) related to basic organisation and establishments. The facsimile ORDER OF BATTLE OF THE UNITED STATES LAND FORCES IN THE WORLD WAR, published in three volumes of five parts in 1988, may be useful if that is the area of interest. Available free on-line and/or for download from:

www.history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/23/23-1.html (Vol 1 - American Expeditionary Forces: General Headquarters Armies, Army Corps Services of Supply Separate Forces)
www.history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/23/23-2.html (Vol 2 - American Expeditionary Forces: Divisions)
www.history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/23/23-3.html (Vol 3, Part 1 - Zone of the Interior: Organization and activities of the War Department)
www.history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/23/23-4.html (Vol 3, Part 2- Zone of the Interior: Territorial Departments Tactical Divisions Organized in 1918 Posts, Camps, and Stations)
www.history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/23/23-5.html (Vol 3, Part 3 - Zone of the Interior: Directory of troops)

Total of 2545 pages in 84.6 Mb of PDF documents - vastly greater than the current extent of the lolcat bible, and perhaps more poetic.

The establishment the US Army Tank Board in July 1917 is mentioned by Robert S. Cameron (Mobility, Shock, and Firepower - The Emergence of the U.S. Army's Armor Branch, 1917-1945 - www.history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/30/30-23.html with free on-line or download link) and may be of passing interest if a "tanks" link is suspected.

-- Edited by Rectalgia on Monday 2nd of September 2013 07:47:50 PM

Rectalgia · Legend

Fascinating - learning all the time. The "Stars and Stripes" article on the new "Overseas Cap":

www.oldmagazinearticles.com/WW1_US_Army_Overseas_Cap_Press_Release_pdf

"Chic crown of victory", "The crease follows the seam and the seam follows the crease," all predicated on Scientific principles, eh? "... the new cap is natty. And the old cap was not even hatty." I'm sure even a century ago (rounded value) the average doughboy's spin detector would be as good as ours today - obviously they were known to hate it, sight unseen. Yet it endured. I want to buy one. Well, maybe the RAAF equivalent "garrison cap" of later times (specified for all ranks wear with Flight Dress No. 15 - the only RAAF headdress authorised to be worn at a slant). Can't beat "scientific principles" combined with style.

-- Edited by Rectalgia on Tuesday 3rd of September 2013 02:40:07 AM

Ironsides · Legend

Stephen Thanks that's most helpful, General orders AEF seem to run by year which I wasn't aware of before so there's more then one GO7 it seems 1917 1918 etc... the one I want is for 1918 and is in Vol 16..

http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/023/23-22/index.html�40mb

GO7 HAEF (Jan 9, 1918.�) deals in part with Uniforms, I saw it as a reference in an Infantry brigade machine gun Equiptment manual dated to late 1918, the reference is in regard to the Oversea cap adopted by the AEF:

�

6. �Caps. �to be known as "Overseas Caps." have been adopted as part of the�

uniform for officers. �soldiers and other uniformed members of �the American Expedition-

ary Forces. �Models of �the approved design are now on file �in the office of �the Chief�

Quartermaster. A. �E. �F. (apparently there were 3 designs)

7. �For soldiers and other uniformed members of the American Expeditionary�

Forces the cap will be made of 20-ounce olive drab cloth. or heavier. �There will be no�

show of color on the cap: �the stiffening of �the flap �to be of �the same color as the cap�

itself. �After caps have been furnished. �the service hat now worn by troops will be�

turned in to the nearest Quartermaster Depot.�

8. �For officers. �the cap will be the same model as that worn by soldiers. but�

the material will be similar to that of �the officer's uniform. �For officers. other�

than general officers. �the stiffening at the edge of the flap �to be of �the same color�

as the arms of �the service �to which the officer belongs. as indicated in Special Regu-

lations No. �42. "Specifications for the Uniform of the United States Army. �1917." and�

to project far enough above the edge of the flap �to give �the appearance of piping when�

the cap is worn with the flap �up. �For general officers. �the stiffening to be the same color

as the arms of �the service �to which the officer belongs. as indicated in Special Regu-

lations No. �42. "Specifications for the Uniform of the United States Army. �1917." and�

to project far enough above the edge of the flap �to give �the appearance of piping when�

the cap is worn with the flap �up. �For general officers. �the stiffening to be the same�

color as the cloth of �the cap. with a �strip of gold braid �1 �18-inch to �1 �14-inch from �the�

outside of the flap. �1 �14-inch from the edge. �These caps will be sold by the Quarter-

Master Corps to officers.�

9. �Except where the helmet is prescribed. officers actually commanding troops�

will wear the "Oversea Cap." or the service cap. �The service hat may be worn until the�

Quartermaster can furnish the "Oversea Cap."�

�

By command of General Pershing:�

JAMES G. HARBORD.�

Brigadier General.�

Chief of Staff.�

�

Best Regards smile

Ironsides · Legend

Here's a bit from "The story of the 36th" Camp mills:

"Rivalling the Sam Browne belt in its import-

ance was the new overseas cap which was to take

the place of the campaign hat. Officers and men

shared in the task of adjusting this new contrivance

to their persons. A remarkable variety of ideas

were developed as to just how the cap should be

placed on the head, many attempting to wear it

after the fashion of a "stocking cap" while others

gave an excellent impersonation of Napoleon. These

new articles of apparel however were not allowed

to be worn in New York, where men and officers

went as often as time and money allowed.

The privilege of seeing New/ York was not

given to all however. Some of the units arriving

at the camp August 14(1918), were equipped and sent

aboard the transports at Hoboken the same day,

not being allowed to spend a night in the camp,

so great was the necessity for loading the ships

preparatory to departure. In this short space of

time passenger lists had to be compiled and the

numerous regulations of the camp regarding physi-

cal examinations, had to be complied with. Not

all of the troops were equipped with the new over-

seas cap, some of them being compelled to await

their arrival at the training area in France before

they received this part of their equipment. "

So if this is to be believed some US troops would board ships in America with the overseas cap! the thought had occurred to me that if the cap was issued in the states before departure that photos showing troops in overseas caps aboard ship are not necessarily returning home after the war....

Best Regards smile

-- Edited by Ironsides on Tuesday 3rd of September 2013 11:53:09 AM

Ironsides · Legend

From "The 55th Artillery" who seem to been issued caps in France date late April/early May1918:

Equipment and training of the troops went steadily on, except

as there were delays due to temporary lack of materiel. Overseas

caps were issued, and were uncomfortable to wear; one's ears burned

and peeled on sunny days, while the first shower led one to appre-

ciate the popular nickname of the new head-dress, "rain-in-the

face." Wrap-leggings were next given to the men, an addition to

their wardrobe which was both comfortable and convenient ; howbe-

it the ''spirals" had a habit of coming down at inopportune moments.

Later came steel helmets and rubber gas-masks; the helmets were

heavy, but possessed obvious utility, especially on a rainy day, while

the masks were a necessary nuisance.�

�

Best Regards smile

�

Rectalgia · Legend

All good information.

So as not to inadvertently create the wrong impression and entirely incidental to the topic, while I mentioned the RAAF only being permitted to wear the "garrison cap", of all headdress, at a slant (not applicable to WW1 anyway, application to the four Australian Flying Corps squadrons attached to British formations of the time unknown to me but not likely to bother modellers anyway), the same restriction did not apply to the army/AIF and the "hat KFF" (slouch hat) - at some time the slant was actually enshrined in standard dress regulations (both with the brim turned up and the brim turned down). Yes, to further expose the poor battered, sun-burnt left ear - and that persisted even into the L1A1 ("SLR") era of the mid-1960s, at least. Maybe not now (not with brim turned down, anyway - though in practice it would happen, all to do with the practicality of keeping the chin-strap buckle correctly aligned with the mouth, with two configurations, I suppose).