dragoon

This could be either of two French communes with Ribecourt in their name. They are in close proximity to each other, and are both in same region as the other Bain Collection photos. They are Ribécourt-Dreslincourt and Ribécourt-la-Tour.

Original Agence Meurisse photo (Meurisse catalog number at right and bottom of Bain negative), published in 1914, at Gallica site has a different caption:

A Ribecourt : une patrouille de premiers cuirassiers et de spahis marocains



Pub. Date 1914

Information on the First Moroccan Spahi cavalry regiment, organized in 1914, at
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1er_R%C3%A9giment_de_Spahis_Marocains

artolog: Thanks for providing us with the source, date, and original caption for this photograph. We'll include this information next time we update the description.

see also

Although it says Dragoons surely these are Lancers

Tim Bickerdike: thanks for the correction. As these troops are holding lances, you are correct. We will update our description.

Chasseur (French for "hunter") was a term that designated certain regiments of French troops trained for rapid action. Vide Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chasseur

It's no wonder so many people died in the trenches really. Look at those bright, shiny helmets! They're basically crying out to the Germans "Hey! We're over here! Look at our shiny helmets! Shoot this way!"

Gareth Jones haha, you have no damn idea …

Simon, Can you clarify please?

this is clearly no battlefield. there is clearly no enemy anywhere near. and those are clearly no common soldiers. www.google.de/search?hl=de&cp=30&gs_id=35&xhr...

They look mighty uncomfortable! -- Seen on my Flickr home page. (?)