Unusual uniform in Red army

[cuprum]

It so. There was even in one division one regiment has been perfectly dressed and armed, another is barefooted and unarmed. Depended often on good luck.
I know even about White military unit in cloth helmets - budenovka.

[Hammers]

I don't know whether you mean you're not surpised about the references to fedoras and bowlers you've already seen, or whether you haven't heard of it but here's a photo from Adam Zamoyski's 'Warsaw 1920':

I have the book but missed the image. Interesting. What I was actually thinking of was an interesting image from SCW where an company of from the International Brigade (I think) had raided a haberdasher and sported a wide arrange of fedoras, top hats, frock coats and suits.

[Mark Plant]

Well, the Euzones you've posted are not just for show. They actually fought during WW1/Balkan Wars albeit in a slightly altered uniform. Granted, they do not fight any more and they are now solely guards of parliament and tourist magnets.

You think the modern Greek Evzones aren't real soldiers? They will fight, just as the British Guards will fight. Just not in their dress uniform.

The WWI Evzones uniform was not "slightly altered" though. Certainly not the ones who fought in the Odessa theatre. The jacket was khaki. The hat was a simple cap. Some even wore ordinary trousers and boots.

I any more do not know as you to convince...
  There are MANY memoirs on participation in fights and red and white groups in an unusual uniform.

I never disagreed with that Cuprum.

Coloured hats and trousers were common enough. Coloured jackets seen sometimes.

But there is unusual, and there is silly. Metal parade helmets with plumes are silly.

Why you do not have questions, what the colour form could carry known Kornilovtsy, Drozdovtsy and Alekseevtsy? And as also many other things White military units...

Most of the men in the "coloured" units wore simple khaki, except for pogoni and caps.

It's actually quite hard to find a private in anything else. A fair number wore coloured caps, but not most after the huge expansion in early 1919. Black gymnasterkas were rare, except on senior officers.

(If you see a picture of a whole platoon in matching "coloured" uniforms, you can be sure it dates from after the war. Usually Gallipoli.)

[Remington]

Of course you are right. They are soldiers who'd fight when needed. I should have added "wearing that traditional garb".

Didnt know there were Euzones in Odessa! Very interesting. I guess it was too cold for the Foustanela. In the north of Greece they usually fought wearing it as far as I know. I guess even the Greek winter is warmer than what they had to deal with in Russia.

[argsilverson]

Of course you are right. They are soldiers who'd fight when needed. I should have added "wearing that traditional garb".

Didnt know there were Euzones in Odessa! Very interesting. I guess it was too cold for the Foustanela. In the north of Greece they usually fought wearing it as far as I know. I guess even the Greek winter is warmer than what they had to deal with in Russia.

I am not quite sure, though! Anyhow evzones against bolsheviks , makes an interesting gaming option!
according to the source yes: 42nd IR was athe 5th evzonic regiment (thus the designation 5/42) as part of the A Army Corps.
http://orbat.com/site/history/historical/greece/forcesinrussia1919.html

As far as winter: They started the compaign March/April. The campaign ended by August.
BTW Did you know that the greeks retreated walking? They marched through Ukraine to the border of Romania!!

[Mark Plant]

Of course you are right. They are soldiers who'd fight when needed. I should have added "wearing that traditional garb".

Didnt know there were Euzones in Odessa! Very interesting. I guess it was too cold for the Foustanela. In the north of Greece they usually fought wearing it as far as I know. I guess even the Greek winter is warmer than what they had to deal with in Russia.

I imagine they wore the Foustanela, although probably with trousers. They didn't arrive until mid-March, and the winter around Odessa isn't particularly cold. No worse than north Greece in the mountains.

The Evzones were placed in the front line, and fought there until Odessa was abandoned.

[Remington]

Very interesting, Mark. I'll have a look for pictures with the dark Foustanela and trousers. I wonder what that looked like. In Greece their woollen stockings seemed to have sufficed.

By the way, one of my schoolmates from Athens was stationed as an Evzon. He now has a deep seated hatred for camera holding tourists.

[Mark Plant]

I believe these men are in Turkey in 1921.