German Colonial Uniforms

1896 German Schutztruppe Tropical Uniforms


Figure 1 Schutztruppe Officer East Africa	Figure 2 Schutztruppe Officer East Africa	Figure 3 Veterinarian East Africa	Figure 4 Schutztruppe Officer Cameroon	Figure 5 Schutztruppe Trooper SW Africa

Figure 1 is based on a pre-war photograph of an Officer of the East African Schutztruppe in white tropical uniform. The uniform consisted of a khaki tunic piped on the narrow cuffs, collar and down the front in blue for all colonies. The tunic had two pleated breast pockets with rounded edges and slightly sloped inwards. The hip pockets were level and unpleated. It fastened at the front with six white metal buttons. It had a plain pleated rear skirt with neither piping nor buttons. Trousers or riding breeches were also usually piped in blue. Matching white shoes were worn on parade.

The headgear here is an officer's peaked field cap in field grey to match the home uniform. It had a hatband and piping in colony colours- white here for German East Africa, blue for German South West Africa and red for Cameroon. From 1912 onwards new colours were also authorised for the few Schutztruppe officers and NCOs posted to Togo (yellow), New Guinea (green) and Samoa (rose-pink). These new colours may not actually have been issued before 1914. On the front of the hatband was a small imperial cockade..

This officer is wearing an other ranks belt and buckle. Officer's belts were in sliver/black/red braid but were often substituted for the more practical leather other ranks version.

This was the uniform mostly worn by Schutztruppe personnel on non-combat duties in the colonies from 1896 onwards except in South West Africa where the grey home uniform was more commonly worn. Prior to 1896 the Schutztruppe of each colony had their own different uniforms.

Officers 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 elaborated on the slouch hat.

Friedrich Robert von Beringe (1865-1940) joined the 1st Prussian Hussars (Leib-Husaren Regt. Nr.1) in 1894 where he became a close friend of August von Mackensen. He later transferred to the German East African Schutztruppe and saw action against rebellious tribes while commanding the 9th Field Company based at Usumbura (now known as Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi). In 1902 while on an expedition to Mount Sabinyo he killed two gorillas that were later identified as a separate sub-species now commonly known as the Mountain Gorilla but officially classified as Gorilla Gorilla Beringei in his honour. The gorillas found fame in the film "Gorillas in the Mist" while a plaque commemorates von Beringe at the Virunga Conservation Area, where the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda meet. In 1906 he returned to Germany, was promoted to major in 1908 and retired in 1913.

Recommended External Link- The Man who Discovered the Mountain Gorilla at Berggorilla Website

Figure 2 is based on a pre-war photograph of an Officer of the East African Schutztruppe in white tropical uniform. This view shows the plain rear of the tunic with neither buttons nor piping on the skirts. This officer wears the standard Schutztruppe white tropical helmet as worn before the war in East Africa and Cameroon. The tropical helmet was not issued to the Schutztruppe of German South West Africa. It had a sliver braid (twisted black/white/red for NCOs and other ranks) around the hatband and a small imperial cockade on the front. It was identical to the khaki version described later. The original photograph shows the officer on parade with his dress sword which would not have been worn in action.

Rank is shown on the silver/red/black lace shoulder straps (see right) by means of white metal pips.

Schutztruppe Officer's Shoulder Straps
(See Schutztruppe Insignia Page)
Photo Copyright Damien Doppler

Figure 3 is based on a pre-war photograph of a Colonial Veterinarian in white tropical uniform in East Africa. Colonial officials such as veterinarians, doctors, paymasters etc wore the same white tropical uniforms as the Schutztruppe but with several notable differences. They did not wear the Schutztruppe's blue tunic piping nor shoulder straps. Their shoulder straps, cap and Südwester hatbands and piping were determined by their arm of service (see right). The colour of their buttons was likewise determined by their arm of service. Colonial officials were further distinguished by wearing a small white metal Prussian eagle on the front of their headgear- in this case above the imperial cockade on the officer's peaked cap.

This official being a veterinarian has a black hatband and red piping with brass buttons. He also has a watch-chain in his top pocket.

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

Figure 4 is based on an early wartime photograph of an Officer of the Cameroon Schutztruppe, Hauptmann von Heigelin in khaki tropical uniform. The khaki uniform was of identical cut and to the white tropical uniform and consisted of a khaki tunic piped on the narrow cuffs, collar and down the front in blue for all colonies. The tunic had two pleated breast pockets with rounded edges and slightly sloped inwards. It fastened at the front with six white metal buttons. The hip pockets were level and unpleated. It had a plain pleated rear skirt with neither piping nor buttons. Trousers or riding breeches were also usually piped in blue (see right). Rank is shown on the silver/red/black lace shoulder straps by means of white metal pips.

The headgear is the regulation khaki tropical helmet with an officer's silver cord around the hatband (twisted black/white/red cord for NCOs and other ranks) and a small black/white/red cockade at the front (see right).

This was the uniform worn by most Schutztruppe personnel on active service in the colonies from 1896 onwards and during the First World War. Prior to 1896 the Schutztruppe of each colony had their own different uniforms. It could be worn with the slouch hat, field cap or tropical helmet (except in South West Africa where the tropical helmet was not worn). It was not unknown to see pre-war officers mixing items of white and khaki uniforms together. Specialist insignia as worn by the regular army such as musicians swallow's nests, farrier's horseshoes on the lower cuff, one year volunteer's shoulder board lace and marksmanship awards were also worn on the tropical uniform.

Hauptmann Theodore von Heigelin (1876-1930) joined the Cameroon Schutztruppe in 1904 being seconded from the 125th (7th Württemberg) Infantry Regt. and saw active service against the Anyang tribe at Ossidinge. In 1914 he was a senior officer in the the Süd-Abteilung consisting of the 10th and 11th Cameroon Field Companies to defend the South of the colony against the French invasion in October 1914. After becoming a prisoner of war he was discharged from military service in 1920 when the Treaty of Versailles limited the size of the new German army.

Figure 5 is based on an early wartime photograph of a Trooper of the South West African Schutztruppe showing the plain rear of the khaki tunic. Other ranks khaki uniforms were of the same pattern as officers but with thinner black/white/red shoulder straps (see below centre). He wears a Südwester slouch hat which although issued to Schutztruppe in all the colonies was most commonly worn in South West Africa (the hat itself was grey with the hatband and edging in colony colours, in this case blue for South West Africa- see below left). Note also the mounted style leather equipment commonly worn in South West Africa with ammunition pouches and belt buckle at the back (see below right).

Schutztruppe Khaki Tunic
(See Schutztruppe Khaki Tunic Details Page)
Photo Copyright Damien Doppler

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

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

Schutztruppe Other Ranks Shoulder Strap
(See Schutztruppe Insignia Page)
Photo Copyright Damien Doppler

SW African Mounted Equipment
(See Mounted Equipment Details Page)
Photo from an Anonymous Collector

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