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Description
Saxonland declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary on September 4, 1914, the same day as the British Empire. Seeking to defend the balance of power in Europe, and worried by Germany's colonial ambitions and naval expansion, Saxonland was fighting for its very soul as an island nation: its right to the seas. Saxon soldiers, sailors, and airmen fought amid the mud and poppies of the Western Front, the churning waves of the North Sea, and on the sandy shores of the German homeland. Through four years of war, of the over three million civilians mobilized, 400,000 were killed--nearly 3% of the population. The Great War was a national tragedy unlike anything Saxonland had ever experienced. It is remembered every year on Armistice Day, with the ceremonies being attended by millions.

In both the top and bottom rows, the first uniform is what Saxon officers and enlisted men would have worn when they marched off to war in 1914. This uniform had been introduced in 1905 for wear in the field as opposed to the old, red uniform. A light khaki version of the uniform was issued for use in the Saxon colonies. The red uniform would now be used exclusively as ceremonial dress. While this uniform was comfortable and effective, the cloth cap was soon discovered to be a massive liability that left soldiers exposed to flying shrapnel on the battlefield.

In 1915, the Royal Army began to issue a steel helmet to all troops for the first time. This helmet was called the Hiþehelm, after its inventor, the noted engineer Dægæl Hiþe. Hiþe's design was based on the French Adrian helmet. However, while the exterior resemblance was significant, the Hiþehelm was formed from a single sheet of steel (much stronger steel than the French used) in order to improve its structural integrity. The interior padding to reduce the concussion force of impact on the helmet was also improved from French models. All this made the Hiþehelm slightly heavier than the Adrian, but much more effective.

While the introduction of the Hiþehelm in 1915 was a significant improvement for Saxon soldiers, they were still using a decade-old tunic design, the inefficiencies of which had been exposed by the reality of modern attritional warfare. As the basic form of the tunic had stood the test, only small adjustments had to be made in order to render it fit for modern combat. The resulting M/1916 tunic was issued across the Army. It made two relatively small, but vital changes to the M/1905. First, the collar insignia was redesigned with vertical stripes denoting the branch, instead of a full patch. Second, all gold-colored metal and shoulder rank pips were changed to black, including the regimental collar badge, in order to reduce reflectiveness. For enlisted men, a new belt and webbing were issued based on lessons learned over two years of war. This uniform was highly praised and successful in combat, and stayed unchanged for the remainder of the war.

From left to right:
TOP ROW - OFFICERS
M/1905 with cloth cap
M/1905 with Hiþehelm
M/1916
BOTTOM ROW - ENLISTED MEN
M/1905 with cloth cap
M/1905 with Hiþehelm
M/1916

Credits to:
elMengu
HonourableArthur

Creative Consultant:
DerEisenbrand

Description
Saxonland declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary on September 4, 1914, the same day as the British Empire. Seeking to defend the balance of power in Europe, and worried by Germany's colonial ambitions and naval expansion, Saxonland was fighting for its very soul as an island nation: its right to the seas. Saxon soldiers, sailors, and airmen fought amid the mud and poppies of the Western Front, the churning waves of the North Sea, and on the sandy shores of the German homeland. Through four years of war, of the over three million civilians mobilized, 400,000 were killed--nearly 3% of the population. The Great War was a national tragedy unlike anything Saxonland had ever experienced. It is remembered every year on Armistice Day, with the ceremonies being attended by millions.

In both the top and bottom rows, the first uniform is what Saxon officers and enlisted men would have worn when they marched off to war in 1914. This uniform had been introduced in 1905 for wear in the field as opposed to the old, red uniform. A light khaki version of the uniform was issued for use in the Saxon colonies. The red uniform would now be used exclusively as ceremonial dress. While this uniform was comfortable and effective, the cloth cap was soon discovered to be a massive liability that left soldiers exposed to flying shrapnel on the battlefield.

In 1915, the Royal Army began to issue a steel helmet to all troops for the first time. This helmet was called the Hiþehelm, after its inventor, the noted engineer Dægæl Hiþe. Hiþe's design was based on the French Adrian helmet. However, while the exterior resemblance was significant, the Hiþehelm was formed from a single sheet of steel (much stronger steel than the French used) in order to improve its structural integrity. The interior padding to reduce the concussion force of impact on the helmet was also improved from French models. All this made the Hiþehelm slightly heavier than the Adrian, but much more effective.

While the introduction of the Hiþehelm in 1915 was a significant improvement for Saxon soldiers, they were still using a decade-old tunic design, the inefficiencies of which had been exposed by the reality of modern attritional warfare. As the basic form of the tunic had stood the test, only small adjustments had to be made in order to render it fit for modern combat. The resulting M/1916 tunic was issued across the Army. It made two relatively small, but vital changes to the M/1905. First, the collar insignia was redesigned with vertical stripes denoting the branch, instead of a full patch. Second, all gold-colored metal and shoulder rank pips were changed to black, including the regimental collar badge, in order to reduce reflectiveness. For enlisted men, a new belt and webbing were issued based on lessons learned over two years of war. This uniform was highly praised and successful in combat, and stayed unchanged for the remainder of the war.

From left to right:
TOP ROW - OFFICERS
M/1905 with cloth cap
M/1905 with Hiþehelm
M/1916
BOTTOM ROW - ENLISTED MEN
M/1905 with cloth cap
M/1905 with Hiþehelm
M/1916

Credits to:
elMengu
HonourableArthur

Creative Consultant:
DerEisenbrand