French trench raiders wearing experimental camouflage during the First World War. During the First World War, the French Army became the first military to establish a dedicated camouflage unit, pioneering many of the concealment techniques used in modern warfare. Led by artist Lucien-Victor Guirand de Scévola, the unit developed some of the world’s earliest full-body camouflage suits. These experimental outfits consisted of hand-painted canvas cloaks with attached hoods and narrow eye slits, allowing soldiers to blend into their surroundings while remaining concealed. Although these eerie garments are often mistaken online for trench raider equipment, historical evidence suggests they were primarily intended for snipers and stationary observers rather than assault troops. French trench raiders, known as the Corps Francs, instead favored speed and freedom of movement. Rather than wearing bulky camouflage cloaks, they typically darkened their standard uniforms with mud and carried compact melee weapons for fast-moving nighttime raids.(Historic Vids)