Original French WWI Foreign Legion Officer’s Kepi with Correct Buttons - Complete

Original Item. Only One Available. From its foundation until World War I the Foreign Legion normally wore the uniform of the French line infantry for parade with a few special distinctions. In the early 20th century the legionnaire wore a red kepi with blue band and piping, dark blue tunic with red collar, red cuff patches, and red trousers. Distinctive features were the green epaulets (replacing the red of the line) worn with red woolen fringes; plus the embroidered Legion badge of a red flaming grenade, worn on the kepi front instead of a regimental number. In the field a light khaki cover was worn over the kepi, though this one was manufactured in the khaki color and was more than likely a private purchase. During the initial months of World War I, Foreign Legion units serving in France wore the standard blue greatcoat and red trousers of the French line infantry, distinguished only by collar patches of the same blue as the capote, instead of red. After a short period in sky-blue the Foreign Legion adopted khaki, in common with other units of the Armée d'Afrique, with steel helmets, from early 1916.

This is a very rare French Officer’s kepi worn by a Lieutenant during the First World War era. This is the lower height style kepi they first started using after phasing out the floppy or "bummer" type kepis. This style was only worn for a short time during WWI into the early 1920's. From the construction of this example, it appears earlier and certainly during the WWI period. To the front is a small embroidered bullion flaming bomb. The faux chinstrap is held in place by two “Étrangère Legion” Foreign Legion buttons.

The interior shows good service wear with the sweatband having retained nearly all of its stitching, though it is now rather stiff and we couldn’t look underneath it for markings. There is no maker’s mark in the crown. The kepi is roughly a size 6 ¾.

A very scarce French Foreign Legion Kepi, ready for further research and display!