Uniforms of the Austrian Army

The Army of Austria-Hungary is made up of so many different races and peoples each of whom have preserved something of their original national dress or uniform in their modern dress uniforms that the varieties in color, design and ornamentation are greater than in any other country.

The field service uniform of all however is nearly the same and is made of light gray cloth.

The officers’ service uniform consists of a single-breasted sack coat with a standing collar, closed by a row of buttons down the front concealed beneath a flap and having shoulder straps, patch pockets with button flaps, one on each breast and one on each side below the waist; breeches of the same color as the coat; leather puttees and shoes; and a cap of gray cloth, cylindrical in shape with a soft top to the crown and side flaps which are folded up around the band and secured by two buttons in front, and having a sloping visor covered with the gray cloth of the cap. This cap, known as a tschapka, is a distinguishing feature of the Austrian uniform.

As variations of the field uniform the Hungarian regiments do not wear leggings but have the trousers tight below the knees; the Alpine troops wear heavy tan colored stockings instead of leggings and the Bosnia troops wear a Turkish fez instead of the gray cap.

The rank of officers is indicated by insignia worn upon each side of the collar. A Field Marshal has gold embroidery on the collar at each side of the neck opening and two wide red stripes down the outer leg seams of the trousers. General officers wear similar gold braid on the collar with the grade of rank indicated by silver stars thereon as follows:—

General	Three silver stars.
Lieutenant General	Two silver stars.
Major General	One silver star.

Field officers have gold or silver braid on the collar according to whether their buttons are of silver or gold. On gold braid they wear silver stars and on silver braid gold stars to indicate the grade of rank, as follows:—

Colonel	Three stars.
Lieutenant Colonel	Two stars.
Major	One star.

Company officers have the collar decorated with cloth on each side of the neck opening, the color being the distinctive color of their arm of the service or regiment. The grade of rank is indicated by stars worn on this colored cloth, the stars being of silver or gold to match the gold or silver buttons worn according to the regiment:

Captain	Three stars.
First Lieutenant	Two stars.
Second Lieutenant	One star.

The arm of the service is indicated by the color of the facings or decorations on the uniform. The infantry have no regimental numbers on their uniforms but a distinctive color for each group of four regiments, each such group of the regular army having two Austrian and two Hungarian regiments, the Austrian regiments wearing silver buttons and the Hungarian regiments gilt buttons.

Chasseur regiments wear green facings or trimming and have the number of the regiment on the buttons.

Dragoon regiments have distinguishing colors worn on the collars for each two regiments, one regiment of each color wearing silver buttons and the other gilt buttons.

Hussar and Uhlan regiments of cavalry have distinctive colors for each two regiments as in the case of dragoon regiments but these colors are also worn on the caps and the number of the regiment also appears on the cap.

Artillery regiments have red facings and the buttons bear a gun and a shell.

In the Austrian Reserves the infantry have green facings and trimmings on their uniforms and the number of the regiment on the buttons and shoulder straps, and the cavalry regiments have the regimental number on the buttons only.

In the Hungarian Reserves the infantry regiments wear the regimental number in dark gray cloth on the sides of the cap and the cavalry regiments wear their number in yellow cloth on the cap.

The rank of noncommissioned officers is indicated by white stars of celluloid worn on the distinctive color patches of the collar, as follows:—

Sergeant Major	Three white stars.
Sergeant	Two white stars.
Corporal	One white star.

With service uniform officers wear tan leather belts with suspender straps across one or both shoulders and the enlisted men wear belts and cartridge boxes of tan leather. General and Staff officers wear the sword slung from a belt beneath the coat and a sash of gold and black silk.

The overcoat for officers is a double-breasted ulster with gilt or silver buttons the same as worn on the service coat and collar patches and pipings of the distinctive corps or regimental color; or a long circular cape cloak with a turn-over collar upon which the color patches are worn.

The overcoat of the enlisted man is a double-breasted long ulster with standing-falling collar, buttons of silver or gilt to match those worn on the service coat and color patches on the collar.

Enlisted men wear the trousers tucked into the tops of the shoes or in the case of the Alpine troops into the tops of heavy woolen socks of khaki color.

A distinctive feature of the Alpine troops is a small plume of eagle’s feathers worn on the left side of the cap.

Various insignia to indicate special duties or assignments are worn by enlisted men upon the left sleeve, some of them being:—

Telegraphist	A wreath surrounding a device representing three bolts of lightning crossed with a crown above them.
Medical Corps	A circle surrounding a Geneva cross in red.
Gun pointer	Two cannon crossed surmounted by a crown surrounded by a wreath.
Pioneer	A medallion bearing a pick and two spades crossed.
Wagon driver	A wreath surrounding two horses’ heads.

In the trenches steel trench helmets of the German pattern are worn by both officers and enlisted men.

In very cold weather fur coats are worn and in the snows of the mountains white coats are worn to make the troops less conspicuous.

Enlisted men wear on the left sleeve a triangle of yellow braid to show long service, one stripe for four years, two stripes for seven years and three stripes for nine years.