Figure 1
Schutztruppe Officer
East Africa

Figure 2
Schutztruppe Officer
SW Africa

Figure 3
Schutztruppe Trooper
SW Africa

Figure 4
Paymaster
SW Africa

Figure 1 is based on a pre-war photograph of an Oberleutnant Paul Graetz of the East African Schutztruppe in Home Uniform. The Schutztruppe home uniform (known as the "Tuchuniform") was introduced for all colonies in 1896 and was a version of the M1842/95 German army uniform. It consisted of a field grey tunic (though of a less green shade than that adopted by the Imperial Army in 1907/10). It was piped in colony colours, white for East Africa, blue for South West Africa and red for Cameroon (yellow for Togo, green for New Guinea and pink for Samoa were authorised in 1912 but were probably not issued before the First World War) and had a high stand and fall collar in colony colours with silver double Litzen lace (white for other ranks) and deep Swedish style cuffs again in colony colours with silver double Litzen. It had eight white metal buttons down the front, two on each cuff and three down both of the scalloped rear pleats also piped in colony colours. It had no exterior pockets. Shoulder straps for officers were black/sliver/red braid with pips (one for Oberleutnant in this case) to display rank in the same way as the Imperial Army (see Officers Rank Insignia Page). Other ranks shoulder straps were woven from twisted cord in black/white/red. Another version of the tunic in the same style but with no Litzen and the collar and cuffs only piped in the colony colours rather than filled was known as the "Interimsrock".

The field grey trousers (or riding breeches in this case) were also piped in colony colours. This officer has been awarded the colonial combatants medal which he wears on his left breast for active service in the colonies (see right), and below that the silver cords worn by Schutztruppe officers on parade. NCOs wore similar cords in twisted black/white/red.

The headgear is the classic "Südwester" slouch hat characteristic of the Schutztruppe. It was made from grey felt with a hatband and brim band in colony colours and pinned up on the right hand side with a large black/white/red cockade (see above right). The Officer's belt is the same as that worn by officers in the Imperial Army woven again from cords in the Imperial colours. The uniform was usually accompanied by brown leather ankle boots and leather gaiters or riding boots as here.

This was the uniform worn by Schutztruppe personnel at home in Germany or as full dress on parade from 1896 onwards. Prior to 1896 the Schutztruppe of each colony had their own different uniforms. The home uniform was rarely seen in the Colonies with the exception of in South West Africa where it was commonly worn in place of the white tropical uniform on parade.

Oberleutnant Paul Graetz (1875- 1968) originally served in the 106th Saxon Infantry Regiment "Prince George", before being transferred to the East African Schutztruppe and given the task of road building in the colony. Between 1907 and 1909 he made an historic epic journey by car with Theodore von Roeder from Dar es Salaam in German East Africa to Swakopmund in German South West Africa. This was the first crossing of Southern Africa in a motorised vehicle and is described in Graetz's book, "Im Auto quer durch Afrika". When the First World War broke out he was back in Germany planning an airship expedition to New Guinea but was soon instead put in charge of the Flying school and Fokker factory at Schwerin. While living in Dresden after the First World War, he was involved in setting up the fore-runner of the German airline company, Lufthansa. In 1949 he escaped from Soviet East Germany and died in Travemünde in West Germany in 1968.

German East African Südwester
(See Südwester Details Page)
Photo Copyright Damien Doppler

The Colonial Medal
(See Colonial Medals Page)
IWM Collection

Chart showing Peacetime Uniforms
(See Colonial Souvenirs Details Page)
Photo Copyright Damien Doppler

Note the scalloped, blue piped rear skirts of the tunic with three buttons on each side.

German SW African Südwester
(See Südwester Details Page)
Photo Copyright Damien Doppler

Figure 3 is based on a pre-war photograph of a Trooper of the South West African Schutztruppe in home walking out uniform. The other ranks uniform was the same as the officer's version but with smaller collar and cuffs. The shoulder straps were of black/white/red twisted braid.

The headgear here is the peaked field cap, in matching grey with hatband and piping in colony colours (in this case blue for South West Africa) and a small imperial (black/white/red) cockade on the front of the hatband. Unlike in the imperial army and Seebatallione other ranks of the Schutztruppe wore the peaked cap.

NCO rank was worn on the home uniform in the style of the regular army with lace on the collar and cuffs (see right) and rank buttons on the collar (see NCO Rank Insignia Page). This trooper's uniform has collar, cuffs and piping in blue for South West Africa.

A SW African NCOs Home Uniform
(See Swakopmund Museum Photos Page)
Photo Copyright Phil Buhler

Officers, officials and many NCOs wore Privately Tailored Uniforms. This led to variations in quality and to a lesser extent cut. Sometimes the collar was cut higher, cuffs deeper and the hatband and cockade were sometimes often on the Südwester and other headgear.

Chart showing Officials Uniforms
(See Colonial Souvenirs Details Page)
Photo Copyright Damien Doppler

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