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| TGW-005 – $ 90.00 The Hairy Ones Four French Poilus (literally ”Hairy Ones”) Advancing with Scenic Base.  French Army, 1916-18  This unfortunate soldier was felled by a shell burst, artillery being the greatest killer of the war. In response to the severe number of head wounds from over-head, shrapnel bursts, the French army became the first to issue metal helmets to its troops. Originally a simple steel bowl worn under the kepi, it ultimately became the M1915 Adrian Pattern helmet. More than 3 million were distributed before the end of 1915. He also carries the M1892 haversack and the M1877 two-liter water bottle. Originally designed for the troops in Africa, its use was extended to the entire army by 1915. Suspended from a cartridge pouch is the M2 rectangular gas mask canister.
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The next soldier ducks from the concussion. He is wearing the Y shaped M1892 brace system, with three M1888 cartridge boxes. This system was unchanged since its issue, apart from the M1903 belt and a switch from black leather to brown. On his 1886/93 Lebel is the M1886 cruciform needle bayonet. This was a particularly nasty weapon as the puncture wound it caused was four sided and difficult to stitch up. Its quillion, the small hook at the hilt of the bayonet was used to capture the enemy’s weapon during a bayonet duel, was completely impractical and hence removed. 
An archaic weapon, the grenade came back into favor for the close-in action of trench fighting. The grenadier carries three improvised “racket bombs.” This particular treatment was comprised of a tin box stuffed with gun cotton, surrounded by grooved steel plates, affixed to a wooden handle. It would be armed by incendiary fuse, in this case lit by the bomber’s tobacco pipe, in his left hand. As with the rest of the soldiers in his unit, this soldier wears the M1914/15 geartcoat with modified pockets to hold additional ammunition. 
The last soldier is firing the standard service rifle of the French army, the M1886/93 Lebel rifle. This 8mm, bolt action weapon was revolutionary in it's time but was obsolete by the outset of war. Still, with thousands produced it would remain in use throughout the conflict. It's carried eight cartridges in a tubular magazine under the barrel. The rimmed, steel jacketed round lay point to butt in the magazine (i.e. the sharp, hard bullet head was positioned against the soft, permeable, primer cap) which sometimes caused terrible trouble for the unfortunate poilu.