Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive pre-WWI French Army officer’s tunic for a Lieutenant of the 2e Régiment d’Artillerie de Campagne, or 2nd Field Artillery Regiment. Its dark blue wool body, bright red collar and cuff straps, gilt artillery buttons, metal regimental numerals, and paired gold rank stripes give the tunic the unmistakable appearance of the French Army during the final years before the introduction of horizon blue field uniforms. The garment remains complete with all of its buttons and retains a particularly interesting assortment of interior markings.

The tunic is constructed from dark blue wool with a contrasting bright red standing collar and matching red button straps at the cuffs. Each cuff bears two horizontal gold rank stripes, identifying the wearer as a Lieutenant. The front of the collar is fitted with metal: 2

These numerals, together with the field artillery buttons, identify the tunic with the 2e Régiment d’Artillerie de Campagne.

The front closes with a full row of artillery pattern buttons, all of which remain present. The collar is secured by two hook and eye fasteners, while an additional hook and eye closure is positioned beneath the lowest front button. Six buttons are arranged across the rear of the tunic. There are no exterior pockets, giving the garment the fitted and formal silhouette characteristic of French officer dress during this period.

The interior lining remains in good condition and displays several noteworthy markings. The number: 5

is stenciled inside each sleeve. One sleeve is additionally stamped: TBS

The precise meaning of these markings has not been confirmed. They may relate to tailoring, assembly, inventory, or later institutional use, and further research may reveal their significance.

A name label was once stitched beneath the collar but is now absent. Its removal prevents the tunic from being attributed to a particular officer, although the remaining stitch marks document the former presence of an identification label.

The 2e Régiment d’Artillerie de Campagne was an established French field artillery formation before WWI. French Army archival records confirm that the regiment was active during the opening campaigns of 1914 and continued operations through the war. Without a surviving name label or additional unit documentation, this tunic cannot be connected to a specific officer, battery, campaign, or battlefield.

A Lieutenant wearing this tunic would have been a junior commissioned officer, most likely responsible for leading a gun section or performing duties within a battery command structure. Field artillery officers were required to understand gunnery, range estimation, observation, horse management, ammunition supply, communications, and the movement of guns and limbers. Their duties combined technical knowledge with direct command of men, horses, and equipment.

Before the widespread adoption of motor transport, French field artillery depended heavily upon horse drawn mobility. A field battery required coordinated teams to move its guns, ammunition caissons, personnel, and support equipment. Junior officers supervised training, discipline, gun drill, deployment, and the rapid establishment of firing positions. In combat, they helped direct fire, transmit corrections, maintain ammunition supply, and preserve communication between the guns, observers, and battery commander.

The tunic represents the visually striking prewar French Army that entered the conflict in 1914 wearing traditional dark blue and red uniforms. These colorful garments reflected longstanding military tradition but proved poorly suited to the realities of modern warfare. The transition to horizon blue uniforms during WWI makes surviving prewar officer tunics especially evocative of the French Army at the end of the Belle Époque and the beginning of industrialized warfare.

This example remains especially desirable because of its strong original colors, complete artillery buttons, Lieutenant’s gold cuff rank, metal 2nd Regiment collar numerals, intact closures, and unusual interior markings. The missing name label prevents personal attribution, but the tunic remains a highly displayable and clearly identifiable piece for a  Great War collection.

Approximate Measurements:-
Collar to shoulder: 9.5"
Shoulder to sleeve: 22”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16"
Chest width: 18”
Waist: 17.5"
Hip: 21"
Front length: 29"