German Schutztruppe Officers and NCOs in East Africa 1891-96

Figure 1
Officer Home Uniform

Figure 2
Officer White Uniform

Figure 3
NCO Khaki Uniform

Figure 4
NCO Khaki Uniform
 
Figure 1 is based on a photograph of a German Officer in the 1891 Blue Home Uniform taken in Germany in the early 1890's. When the German East African Schutztruppe was officially formed from the old Wissmanntruppe they were issued new uniforms. These uniforms were worn up until 1896 when the Schutztruppe of German East Africa and German South West Africa were given a degree of uniformity in their dress. Of course these original uniforms continued to be worn until replaced sometime after 1896 as the old Wissmantruppe uniforms had to some extent been worn after 1891. The uniforms introduced for German officers and NCOs in German East Africa came in three colours, blue for home service, white for tropical service and khaki for tropical active service.

This officer wears the blue home uniform. It was based on the infantry tunic worn by the Prussian army of the period introduced in 1842. It had a stand and fall collar with brass Imperial crowns in each collar corner and three buttoned Brandenburg style cuffs. This officer has curiously only buttoned two of his three cuff buttons although the hole for the third can clearly be seen in the original photograph. I have only seen three members of the Schutztruppe photographed in this blue uniform and two of them in separate photographs are following this practice of only buttoning two holes, while the third clearly has all three buttons buttoned. There were eight brass buttons down the front and the collar, cuffs and front were all piped in white.

Early tropical helmets were higher than later Schutztruppe tropical helmets (see right). They are mostly seen in photographs to be white in this period but khaki ones were also worn and khaki covers were sometimes worn over white helmets. This officer wears the removable Pickelhaube style spike in the top and has a brass Imperial Eagle with spread wings on the front above an Imperial cockade. Other versions of the helmet have been seen with eagles with lowered wings (as in the example on the right). Pickelhaubes were also sometimes worn by early German East African Schutztruppe with their home uniforms. These were of the standard variety issued to the Imperial army but with an Imperial Eagle (rather than a state device worn by regular army troops) and with only the Imperial cockade under the right hand chin strap button, with no state cockade on the left.



Early Schutztruppe Tropical Helmet
(See Tropical Helmets Details Page)
Photo Copyright Doppler

 
 
Figure 2 is based on a photograph of a German Officer in the White Tropical Uniform taken in East Africa in the early 1890's. White uniforms were worn by officers in East Africa for most occasions except in action when khaki would usually be worn. The early white tropical uniforms issued for German East Africa had stand and fall collars with the same brass imperial crown as seen on the home uniform. There were four unpleated buttoned pockets, with the breast pockets being slightly sloped inwards. The front of the tunic had six brass buttons, although some examples have been seen in photographs with only five buttons. The cuffs were Brandenburg style with three brass buttons and were piped in blue. As with the blue uniform officers wore their usual rank insignia on their shoulder straps (see Schutztruppe Officers Rank Insignia Page) while NCOs had no shoulder straps. NCOs rank insignia was shown in the form of chevrons on the upper left arm.

This officer wears a white tropical helmet (again taller than later models) with no eagle but bearing an Imperial cockade at the front. He wears a practical plain brown leather belt and white shoes to match his uniform.
 
Figure 3 is based on a photograph of a German NCO in the Khaki Field Uniform taken in East Africa in the early 1890's. Khaki uniforms were commonly worn by officers and NCOs on active service. The early khaki uniforms issued for German East Africa were of the same cut as the white uniforms with stand and fall collars with the same brass imperial crown, four unpleated buttoned pockets, with the breast pockets being slightly sloped inwards. The front of the tunic had six brass buttons. The cuffs were Brandenburg style with three brass buttons and were piped in blue.

As with the white and blue uniforms officers wore their usual rank insignia on their shoulder straps, while NCOs had no shoulder straps. NCOs rank insignia was shown in the form of chevrons on the upper left arm (see NCOs Rank Insignia Page). The early chevrons worn in East Africa were curved and had vertical upper edges as seen here. This NCO is an Unteroffizier as seen by his single stripe. He wears a white tropical helmet and curiously carries a sword, usually reserved only for officers and senior NCOs.
 
Figure 4 is based on a photograph of a German NCO in the Khaki Field Uniform taken in Germany in the early 1890's. He wears the same khaki uniform as the previous figure. Unlike the previous figure however this Unteroffizier has the later style of rank chevron, straight with horizontal upper edges. In the original photograph on which this illustration is based different NCOs have both types of chevron. This NCO wears a white peaked field cap with a blue hatband and piping and an Imperial cockade on the front as was commonly worn by the early East African Schutztruppe. He wears a brown leather belt with a brass belt buckle showing an Imperial crown (again in the original photograph several NCOs have this same design). From his belt he carries a bayonet as carried by most junior NCOs. He wears canvas gaiters over his ankle boots. These gaiters were standard issue to the early Schutztruppe in Africa.
 

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