German Troops in the Shanghai Volunteer Corps

The volunteers came from foreigners (British, American, French, German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Portuguese, Japanese and others from all over the world) living in Shanghai, some of whom were paid regulars while others were unpaid part-time soldiers. Some soldiers were formed into national companies, others into mixed units. In 1910 the German contingent consisted of one regular and one reserve company.

The SVC never saw serious action although it was called to mobilisation on several occasions such as during the Tai-Ping Rebellion, the Boxer Rebellion and later during the Japanese Invasion. They were finally disbanded by the Japanese in 1942.

Uniforms of the SVC
The SVC was largely armed and uniformed from British stocks or with British style uniforms made of local khaki fabric and Australian style slouch hats, though some nationalities wore their own army uniforms with SVC insignia. Often a mixture of these options was worn.

Insignia of the SVC
The badge of the SVC consisted of an eight-pointed brass Brunswick star with the motto "Shanghai Volunteer Corps" around the flags of various European nations in the centre (see Paradise for Adventurers). A variation on this badge had simply the letters SVC on a similar star. Both variations have been seen with a scroll underneath bearing the date of the unit's formation "4th April 1854" (see Shanghai Municipal Council).

Figure 2 is based on a photograph of an Infantryman of the German Company of the SVC taken between 1910 and 1912. He wears an Australian style slouch hat turned up on the left hand side. German Südwester hats had noticeably larger brims and were usually turned up on the right hand side. From 1903 Australian slouch hats were officially turned up on the left. On the turned up side of the hat is a brass SVC badge (consisting of an eight pointed star with the letters "S.V.C." across the centre above a scroll with the date of the SVC's formation- see the description above and Shanghai Municipal Council). Below the SVC badge is a small Imperial German cockade.

The uniform is probably tailored from locally made khaki and appears to be of quite a dark shade. It is cut in German style with eight buttons down the front. There are no pockets and the stand and fall collar is in tunic colour. The detail of the shoulder straps cannot be made out in the original photograph. The trousers are in a matching dark khaki shade and are tucked into leather gaiters (of uncertain origin) and short boots.

His equipment consists of a Sam Brown style belt with a bandolier of ammunition pouches, probably of British or Australian origin. His belt buckle is difficult to define in the original photograph aside from the general shape as seen here. His is again armed with a British rifle, in this case the Lee Enfield Mk I.

In the original photograph upon which this illustration is based there is a mounted officer wearing a similar uniform but with German army style rank insignia on the shoulder straps (see Officers Rank Insignia Page) and a German army officer's belt (woven silver thread with horizontal stripes of the imperial or state colours- see Belt Buckles Details Page). An NCO in the same photograph wears a single collar button in the style of a Gefreiter (see NCO Rank Insignia Page).

Special Thanks on this page is due to Karsten Herzogenrath ("Leutwein") for sharing photographs of this unusual unit at the Pickelhaubes Forum and to "Reservist 1", "Peter H", "Tony and Kaiser", "Wyliecoyote", "Liongules" and "Robert" for their thoughts and advice on the subject. Thanks also to Tony for making it so easy to look up Imperial Army Regimental uniform distinctions at the Kaiser's Bunker website.

Recommended External Links- Discussion of the Germans in the SVC on the Pickelhaubes Forum, biography of Maximillian Hey (an Austrian who served in the SVC) on the Austro-Hungarian Army Website, Tales of Old China, Paradise for Adventurers and Shanghai Municipal Council.