French Imperial Guard finds white crossbelts unsuitable.

  

[From Russkii Invalid, 18 June 1855, No. 133, page 646.]

 

(Reprinted from Journal de St-Peterbourg) The newspaper L'etoile Belge reports from Paris from 19/7 June the following: “There is nothing new from the Crimea except one rather interesting fact. Many French guardsmen saw that thanks to the white belts of their new uniform, so striking to the eye among the dark coats and black belts of the rest of the infantry, they were the main target for Russian bullets. They thought it best to take off the belts and make crossbelts of plain straps or string, upon which they cleverly hang their sword and cartridge pouch. This serves as new evidence that the old uniform of the French Guards, resurrected so unexpectedly, is not only odd to the eye, but unsuitable for troops.”

 

Translated by Mark Conrad, 2002.