Here's a collection of photos from our visit to the Royal Military Museum in Brussels in 2011. The collection was extensive, starting with a large gallery of Belgian Napoleonic War relics. Unfortunately all the galleries closed at 12pm for lunch the day we visited so we didn't get a full look through the World War One section.
Napoleonic uniforms
Artillery from World War One.
A wonderful WWI Renault FT light tank. It's one of my favorite tanks and remained in use right through to the Second World War, although it was totally obsolete.
A gigantic WWI British Mark II tank. The Mark II was first used during the Battle of Somme, although its performance was terrible as almost all broke down before they saw action. They were slowly improved throughout the war, eventually becoming a decisive weapon on the Western Front.
A French Renault UE Chenillette gun carrier in German livery. After the Nazis conquered France they commandeered all manner of vehicles for their war effort. Although obsolete for front line service by the time the war started, they were useful for supporting roles, such as ammunition carriers and gun carriages.
The tank gallery in a outside courtyard. Most of the tanks however were Cold War era and therefore not particularly interesting to me.
Me with a Russian tank and German tank destroyer.
A WWII German Hetzer (significantly modified). After experiencing defeats against the Russians on the Eastern Front, the Germans introduced a new type of tank, the Jagdpanzer or tank destroyer. As the Jagdpanzer was designed to ambush other tanks and would be engaging head on, it was able dispense with a turret in favor of mounting a heavier gun with thicker frontal armour. It also had the advantage of a lower profile, making it easier to hide. As the war progressed and German fortunes turned for the worst, more and more jagdpanzers were built as their lack of a traversing turret meant they were quicker and less complicated to manufacture.
A post war German tank destroyer.
Polar explorer
Ship models in the naval section. Unfortunately we didn't get to look through that section because it was closing.
All of the photos above were taken in 2011. After we had visited the Aero Museum next door, we discovered the military museum was about to close so we did a very quick run through, hence the very few photos. In 2018 we returned to Belgium and took a much more leisurely tour through both museums.
2018 Visit
The Napoleonic Wars
An officer's hat
The Napoleonic period was distinguished by its extraordinarily elaborate uniforms and headwear.
German pickelhelms. They appear to be steel but were in fact made of tanned pigskin.
Steel cuirassiers helms
Tall hats and distinctive plumes signified rank and unit.
More cavalry helments and headwear.
Liberty or Death!
This cap was based on a Roman 'emancipation cap' worn by freed slaves. It became popular as a revolutionary headwear.
Grenadiers headwear
German pickelhelms of the Franco-Prussian War 1870
Medieval and Early Modern Era
14th and 15th century armour and helmets
Full armour suits from 15th Century
15th Century
With the advent of gunpowder, armour was reduced to chest and head armour.
Jousting armour
Russian Imperial Uniforms of the Tsars (special exhibit 2018)
The dress uniform of Tsar Alexander III
Dress uniform Tsar Alexander II
Russian Imperial uniforms 19th Century
Russian Imperial dress uniforms 19th Century
Tsarevitch Alexei
Russian summer uniform and equipment from the Great War.
Russian Imperial decorations
Russian winter uniform
German First World War Helmets
Like the other powers of Europe, the German army entered the war equipped with weaponry and uniforms largely unchanged from peacetime ceremonial wear from the 1890s. This included cavalry helmets with ostrich feather plumes and bedecked bear fur busbys. Totally impractical for the war that was about to be fought.
German ceremonial cavalry headwear was, like in other armies of the time, more about show than practicality.
Cavalry and officer ceremonial helmets
Pickelhelms
After the first months of war, the elaborate, pigskin pickelhelm was being replaced with something a little less 'visible.' Dust covers in mud brown became standard issue. By 1915 the ubiquitous 'stahlhelm' (steel helmet) would be standard issue.
First World War Tanks
Mark A Whippet tank. https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww1/gb/British_medium_Mark-A_whippet.php
Whippet "Firefly"
Renault FT17
Mark IV "Male." The Male version was armed with 6 pounder naval guns. The Female version was armed only with Vickers machine guns.
Mark IV from the rear https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww1/gb/tank_MkIV.php
Artillery pieces
Link to our photos from our visit to the neighbouring Brussels Airforce Museum https://militarymuseum.blogspot.com/2019/06/brussels-aeroworld-brussels-belgium.html
