Passy is a commune in the Upper Savoy department in
the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
During the Great War of 1914-18, many Passerands served in
the Chasseurs à Pied and Alpins.
They were particularly numerous in the 11th Btn of Annecy, the
22nd Btn of Albertville and the 51st Btn of Annecy.
The Chasseurs à Pied (“Hunters on Foot”) were created in
1837, 51 years before the sub-regiments of Chasseurs Alpins. These battalions constitute
the oldest subdivision of the infantry after the line regiments. After the
Franco-Prussian conflict, the number of battalions of foot-hunters was fixed at
30.
The heyday of the Chasseurs à Pied and Alpins goes back to
the year 1915, with the fighting for the summit ridge of the Vosges; fights of
extreme violence. The Alpine were present there as two blue divisions, the 47th
and 66th, which formed the so named "Army of the Vosges".
Impressed by their value, the Germans named them the “Blue
Devils".
The beret was adopted in 1891 by the Ministry of War. The Tarte"pie", as all hunters call it, quickly became the emblem of the
Chasseurs. The large beret protects from the sun, the rain and snow and, as stipulated
in the guidelines: "It must be able to slip on both feet when it is cold quartering."
According to some authors, the" pie "could also be
filled with rags and thus protect Chasseurs from falling rocks.
During the First World War, hunters will even abandon the
regulatory helmet to wear their emblem, the Tarte, during the fighting.
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