Technical equipment of the kuk infantry soldier (note the text in the description)

[@RichardGalli-r6i]

the Beilpicke is about identical to the Italian one! now I am trying to figure out what I have - GREAT reports Herr Weihs!

[@marcuszelezny1399]

Very well done Wolfgang!

[@WolfgangWeihs]

thanks Marcus

[@laurentdevaux5617]

A very interesting introduction about one of the less efficient armies of WW1. The Kuk army was nearly always defeated in each of the battles it was involved in, except against Italy, and no need to ask why. I still don't know why, as this army was rather well equiped and trained. Maybe the ethnical diversity ? Anyway, I'd be glad to see more about the Kuk army

[@WolfgangWeihs]

please see the other videos in my channel. I think a main problem of this army was, that the last war it fought in was in the 1860ies, so basically they still had line infantry tactics in 1914. Russian army fought against Japan in the early 1900s, Germany fought in the german-french war, so both armies were more modern. And Austria had a very conservative emperor, who was no friend of modern ideas, as many of the officers. Austrian army lost in 1914 so many officers, because it was against honour to take shelter on the battle field for an officer, that they never could be replaced during the entire war.

[@laurentdevaux5617]

@@WolfgangWeihs Thanks for this very interesting answer. Indeed, Franz Josef was a very conservative monarch, but so was Nicholas Il. With a difference though, he was very interested in the modernization of his army and personnaly participated at this process after the disaster against Japan. But that's only a matter of equipment, in this field the Kuk army was in no way inferior, though the Hechtgrau color was certainly not the best. As far as officers are concerned, I know Kuk officers normally wore, at the beginning of the war, a yellow and black sash, highly visible, which made them a perfect target for Russian sharpshooters. But all 1914 armies were the same and lost a lot of officers too. We had the same problem in the French army, at a point that, at the end of 1914, many new appointed lieutenants were only sergeants a few weeks before !

[@WolfgangWeihs]

actually I really appreciate this kind of exchange following my videos. Really would wish to get more feedback as yours.

[@laurentdevaux5617]

@@WolfgangWeihs You're welcome ! I also do appreciate this kind of exchanges about a subject I'm particularly interested in, in particular as a WW1 militaria collector. However, though I collect these items since nearly 40 years, I nearly never saw any Kuk army items here in France, except minor things like cartridge pouches, bayonets, sometimes helmets and rifles, and I still don't know why, as it was a rather huge force with millions of men. The last thing I found were Zeiss-made binoculars used by the Kuk army and dated 1917. Do you have any explanation about such rarity ? It's true that WW1 german or british uniforms are also very rare, though some appear from time to time, but I never saw any Hechtgrau items...

[@WolfgangWeihs]

I think the main reason is that only very few kuk troops were active on the western front, some heavy artillery units but not much more as far I am informed. Here you also will not find much french equipment. I have some french canteens and mess kits, some helmets, but not more.