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The German Army in the Ottoman
Empire 1916-18
"Asienkorps" Tropical Uniforms
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Figure 1
Asienkorps Infantry Officer |
Figure 2
Asienkorps Artillery NCO |
Figure 3
Asienkorps Cavalry NCO |
Figure 4
Asienkorps Medic |
Figure 5
Asienkorps Infantryman |
Tropical Uniforms of the Asienkorps
Although most German troops in the Ottoman Empire wore
either standard German
Field Grey Uniforms or
Ottoman Army Uniforms, the
1916 Pascha I Expedition and the 1917 Pascha II Expedition (often known as the
"Asienkorps") were issued khaki tropical uniforms.
They also brought their field grey uniforms and greatcoats with them
to Palestine for wear
during cold weather. Due to the khaki uniforms similarity to
British
uniforms and other impracticalities in wear and issue, during 1918 they were
largely replaced by standard European issue field grey, the tropical helmets
having been discarded earlier. Some period photographs show members of the
Asienkorps wearing a mixture khaki and field grey (for example a khaki
tropical helmet with khaki tunic and field grey trousers and puttees).
Khaki
Uniforms
The tunics were newly
designed and made, although based on previous Schutztruppe, Seebatallion
and East Asian experience. The standard 1916 tunic had a stand and fall collar,
plain cuffs, no piping, four straight unpleated patch pockets, each
fastened with a brass button and six brass buttons down the
front. These buttons were made from dull brass, domed in shaped and
featured a Prussian eagle design as worn by the German army on European
fronts. The rear of the tunic was plain and without buttons.
Several variations to this tunic have been seen
in photographs. Some of these are slight differences seen on issued
uniforms, others (for senior NCOs and officers) are due to private
tailoring and sometimes include the use of eight buttons down the front,
scalloped pocket flaps and higher
standing collars.
Shoulder straps for other ranks were
usually plain khaki. Some sources refer to unit numbers in red possibly with piping in arm of service
colours and they well have been worn at some time, though I have yet to
see photographic proof. NCO rank was shown as shortened dull grey lace and buttons on
the collar as was also worn by the German army in Europe at the time
(see NCO Rank Insignia Page).
Officers shoulder straps showed their rank and were the same as for the German army
in Europe (see Officers Rank Insignia
Page).
Matching khaki trousers were also
authorised and issued. They were plain without piping.
Tropical Helmets
Their headgear came from existing surplus East Asian
Brigade stock consisted of either a tropical helmet or a peaked
khaki cap. The tropical helmet was of the 1902 Bortfeldt pattern (as also used by the imperial
navy and Seebatallione) with a hatband in arm of service colour (white
for infantry, red for cavalry and staff, and black piped in red for
artillery, machine gun units and pioneers) and a large imperial cockade
on the right hand side.
In some photographs this cockade can be
seen worn at the front of the hatband and in at least one photograph it
is worn on the left hand side. The large brass imperial eagle on the
front of the helmet worn by the East Asian Brigade was usually
discarded. The tropical helmet was soon withdrawn from use in action as
it looked too similar to the Wolseley tropical helmet worn by British
troops and thus caused friendly fire incidents.
The khaki field cap was also of the type previously issued to
the East Asian troops and had a small imperial cockade above a
state cockade with no hatband or piping colours. It had a rounded grey
leather peak
and brown leather chinstrap. At least two versions of this hat were
issued one with a longer peak to shade the sun better. Both the tropical helmet
and the peaked cap could be worn with removable khaki neck shades.
Officers White Uniforms
Officers were also authorised to wear privately purchased white tropical
uniforms for use away from the front line. These white uniforms were of
the same cut as the khaki uniforms and could be worn with a white peaked
cap, also of the same design as the khaki peaked cap (see
Pilots Uniforms on Ottoman Fronts
Page).
Other Items of Tropical Clothing
Other items of tropical clothing and equipment also
used by the Asienkorps included khaki puttees, khaki sand scarves,
mosquito veils and sand goggles.
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Pascha I Artillery Sergeant
(See
Sergeant
Treptor Photo Page)
Photo
©
Roy Williams
1902 Bortfeldt Tropical Helmet
(See
Tropical Helmets Details Page)
Photo
© Doppler Collection
S84/98 Bayonet from Pascha I
(See
Asienkorps Bayonets Details Page)
Photo ©
Chris Wood |
Equipment
The equipment carried by members of the Asienkorps was of the same type
as used by the German army on European fronts at this stage in the war,
consisting of backpack, tent quarter, water bottle, bread bag and
entrenching tool. Gas masks do not appear to have been commonly carried.
The straps and belt were of blackened leather with 1909 pattern
ammunition pouches and held at the front with a dull grey belt buckle
usually featuring the Prussian crown surrounded by a laurel wreath and
the motto "Gott mit Uns". The different German kingdoms each
had their own design of royal crown and motto on their troops belt
buckles but these variations were increasingly being replaced by
Prussian versions as the war went on.
The Illustrations
Figure 1 is based on a
photograph of an Officer of the Asienkorps parading through
Istanbul on their way to the frontline. He wears the khaki uniform as
described above. Note the large brass imperial eagle of the front of the
helmet (see right) which was usually removed on active duty, the hatband
in arm of service colour (in this case white for infantry) and the large
imperial cockade on the right hand side. This officer wears an Iron Cross second class in
his buttonhole and carries a sword which would not have been
carried in action.
Figure 2 is based on a
photograph of an NCO of the Asienkorps taken in Palestine in about 1917. He
also wears the khaki uniform as described above. Note in this case the
brass eagle has been removed from the front of the helmet. His hatband is in black with red
edging for the artillery, pioneers, machine gun units and transport troops.
A large imperial cockade is worn at the front of the helmet. His rank ("Sergeant")
is shown by a strip of sliver/grey braid at the front and lower edge of the collar
(usually abbreviated to just the corner of the collar by this stage in the war) with a brass button behind it. He also wears an Iron Cross second class ribbon in his buttonhole
which would probably have been awarded for prior service on European
fronts. He is armed with a Mauser Karbine 98, which in the original
photograph upon which this illustration is based is seen with a fixed
bayonet. Figure 3 is based on a
photograph of an NCO of the Asienkorps Cavalry. He also wears the
khaki uniform as described above although with some slight
differences to the standard issued version, the most obvious of
which is the lack of breast pockets. This was a commonly seen
variation. His rank ("Unteroffizier") is shown by lace around
the whole front and lower edges of the collar as was usually seen
earlier in the war. He wears khaki riding breeches with European
issue field grey puttees and is armed with a Mauser Karbine 98 with
a cover over the the stock to protect it from the elements. Figure 4 is based on a photograph
of an Asienkorps Field Medic taken in Palestine in about 1918. In
the original photograph this figure is seen accompanying a camel
litter to transport the wounded. He also wears the khaki uniform as described
above with a medic's white armband with
a red cross. He wears the Asienkorps issue khaki peaked field cap with its
removable khaki neckshade, as described above. It has a small
imperial cockade above a small state cockade, in this case
black/white/black for Prussia- the majority of the Asienkorps was
made up of Prussian units. He is armed with a Mauser Karbine 98 and
carries full marching order including backpack.
Figure 5 is based on a photograph
of an Asienkorps Infantryman taken in Palestine in about 1918. This figure shows
the plain rear of the Asienkorps khaki tunic and the khaki field cap with
neckshade attached by cords through the shade to the hatband of the
cap. Note also the Y shaped straps of the equipment and the bread bag and
the all
important water bottle.
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