The French?

[pacofeanor]

Yes probably. Although the guys in very large berets on the pictures are "chasseurs alpins" I don't think they ever wore khaki (but I may be wrong).
A lot of men of Alsace-Lorraine origin went to enlist in the French army between the FPW and WWI; especially some from educated families, who became officers.

They are not "chasseur alpin" but colonial troops, in Indochina and China troupes colonial use to wear "mountains dress", the beret (caled "tarte" ie pie!)dark blue pullover, scarves,etc ....because of the weather in China ....

the problem with colonial troops in 1917-19 is that the regulation say that they have to wear khaki dress, but on the photos and on the field (like the one of cuprum) you can see dark trousers and putties and light coats, the coats are "bleu horizon" and Helmets,jackets trousers and putties khaki!!

 it is visible on the photo with sailors and "MP", the mp is from colonial troops and in khaki jackets. berets are blue  (they are not the campaign dress it is the adrian helmet)

It is the same problem in France with colonial troops, and senegalese troops dressed with a mix of kaki and "bleu horizon" . The entire khaki dress seems to wait 1920-25 for  colonial units. The color of french kaki is quite the same than brittish one,  a little bit lighter perhaps ....

regards
paco

only zouaves are all in khaki !

[Patrice]

most of Lorraine and a tiny bit of Alsace were still French

Ye-es. But in fact, in French texts of the period, when "Alsace" and "Lorraine" are mentioned together it nearly always means the parts occupied by Germany, which had become a hysterical obsession for France.

They are not "chasseur alpin" but colonial troops, in Indochina and China troupes colonial use to wear "mountains dress"

Oh. Thanks, I didn't know this. The pictures are not clear enough to see the small emblems on the berets and collars but yes some of the men could be wearing a small anchor ("Coloniale" emblem) and not a Chasseur's horn.