Mystery Photo, Is that John M. Browning?

An AmmoLand News reader sent us this image and is asking for help identifying the people, place, and time.

We think the tall person in the center looks an awful lot like John Moses Browning, he is the right height and build and there are many images of him with that style of hat. Tell us what you think?

More from the photo’s owner.

I have an interesting quandary. I found a very old print (12 x 15) in my In-Law’s house after they both passed away and we were cleaning up. A screenshot is shown above:

I know this is a long shot, but maybe you or some of your friends are history buffs and can identify an old photo for me. It looks like something important, but I cannot identify the uniforms. Some say French officers, but I cannot confirm that either. Also, some think that it is an American rifle that is being shown. Any idea who the distinguished looking gent looking at the rifle might be, or what country those Officers might be from? I see two sets of cavalry-type pants (one on the second officer from the left and one on the pale uniform in the back – that we are guessing is American).

Most of my friends seem to think that the gun being shown is a Springfield 1903, but of course, we can’t be sure, so I thought I would ask the gun experts.

Also, as you can see from the email thread, we think the tan uniform is from the US Army, and the officer uniforms are French (one calvalry). Again, we can’t be sure. Those distinguished men with the gloves and canes are a mystery. Would you have any idea when this picture was taken, where, and, of course, why?

Thank you in advance. We have no clue why my in-laws would have had this print rolled up in a paper towel tube, and protected with plastic wrap J

J. Schreiber

Palm Coast, FL

What follows next is a reply to the original email:

Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2017 8:19 AM
Subject: RE: Old Photo

Hi J.

It definitely looks like World War One, period. The figure 5th from left looks to have a US army uniform; his hat and leg puttees are very distinctive. The other officers look like they are wearing French uniforms; one is wearing cavalry boots. The suits look like politicians. Don’t recognize any of the faces. I don’t think it is Woodrow Wilson as he was clean-shaven, and the main figure appears to have a beard.

There were very few US troops in France until early 1918, so it is unlikely to be earlier than 1918. It could be in the US, perhaps a “fact-finding mission” to see how US troops were being trained before coming to Europe. Or, more likely, is that it was taken at a US Army training base in France. US troops spend some extended time in France training in new techniques and equipment before being committed to the frontline. There was considerable pressure to get US troops into combat, so a political visit of this type to a training base makes sense.

So tell us who you think is in this photo in the comments below, we would love to find out?