Figure 1
Marine
III. Seebatallion, China

Figure 2
Marine
III. Seebatallion, China

Figure 3
Marine Pioneer
III. Seebatallion, China

Figure 4
NCO
III. Seebatallion, China

Figure 5
Officer, Mounted Company
III. Seebatallion, China

Figure 1 is based on a pre-war photograph of a Marine ("Seesoldat") of the III. Seebattallion and shows them in tropical uniform as they typically appeared in the opening phase of the siege. The khaki tropical uniform was introduced in 1898. The khaki naval tropical helmet (see right) bore a naval brass eagle (see below right) above a small black/white/red cockade. The helmet was issued with a detachable neckshade. Early tropical helmets for the III. Seebatallion were white with a white metal eagle. These were sometimes worn with a a khaki cover but were soon replaced by khaki helmets. Some officers retained the white helmet to match their tropical white parade uniforms. The khaki tunic had a stand and fall collar, hip pockets and removable white shoulder boards (removed in this case) and six plain brass buttons down the front. The shoulder buttons for the shoulder straps were also in brass with the company number in standard Arabic numerals. Jackboots in brown leather were worn by the rank and file and equipment was the old style M1895 also in brown leather with a naval other ranks belt buckle (see below right). They were primarily armed with the Mauser Gewehr 98.

Figure 2 is based on another pre-war photograph of a Marine of the III. Seebattallion. This Seesoldat is wearing his shoulder boards (see below). They were white (although some were possibly khaki) with an imperial crown, crossed anchors and the battalion number in Roman numerals (in this case III). The shoulder boards were removable (as seen in the last figure) and were held by a loop at the top of the shoulder of the tunic. This Seesoldat is also wearing the matching tropical field cap. It was khaki with a brown leather peak and a small black/white/red cockade on the front of the hatband (see right). The field cap also had a detachable neck shade.

Seesoldat in khaki field cap (See Pictures from China Page) Photo Copyright Doppler

Seebatallion Shoulder Strap (See Seebatallion Blue Uniform Details Page) Photo Copyright Doppler

Figure 3 is based on a pre-war photograph of a Pioneer of the III. Seebatallion. Pioneers were distinguished by wearing a white (or sometimes khaki) oval patch on the upper left arm with a crossed spade and pickaxe (handles upwards) embroidered in red. The shoulder straps of the pioneer company were also in red and the shoulder button of the pioneers was as for a 7th company. Aside from these distinctions and the pickaxe he carries he is dressed the same as other Seesoldaten.

The Marine Field Artillery were distinguished by a flaming grenade motif superimposed on the anchors of the shoulder board and another flaming grenade in yellow on the lower cuff. The Telegraph Section of the III. Seebatallion wore the letter T on their shoulder buttons, instead of the company number and crossed lightening insignia on the left arm. Other Specialist Insignia as worn by the regular army such as musicians swallow's nests, farrier's horseshoes on the lower cuff, standard bearer's arm shields, one year volunteer's shoulder board lace and marksmanship awards were also worn on the tropical uniform.

Figure 4 is based on a photograph of Feldwebel Adolf Krampe of the III. Seebatallion taken during captivity in Japan. He wears a senior NCO and officer's peaked field cap (see right) in dark blue and white to match the home peacetime uniform (see below left), with a small black/white/red cockade on the front. The khaki officer's tunic (also worn by senior NCOs) had a single left breast pocket and two hip pockets, six plain brass buttons down the front and a high stand and fall collar. With the tunic he wears other ranks shoulder boards as described above. His rank (Feldwebel) is shown as two white lace bars with red and black threads on his cuffs and upper and front edge of the collar (see right) and by the brass button on the front of the collar. The trousers appear to be from his white tropical uniform (see below centre). Such mixes of uniforms were not uncommon.

After the fall of Tsingtao, Feldwebel Adolf Krampe of the 7th Company, III. Seebatallion was held prisoner at the Marugame and Bando camps in Japan before being repatriated to Germany in December 1919.

Figure 5 is based on a pre-war photograph of an Officer of the Mounted Company of the III. Seebatallion. The mounted company of the III. Seebatallion had no distinguishing insignia or uniform, except having two buttons on the rear of the tunic (the normal Seebatallion khaki tunic had a plain back) and wearing riding breeches and riding boots (as with this figure) or short boots and leather gaiters. From 1911 corduroy brown-grey riding breeches as worn by the Schutztruppe in German South West Africa were issued to the mounted company. Officers tunics as on the previous figure were often of higher quality material and had higher collars. The silver, red and black braided officers shoulder straps bore the imperial crown but no crossed anchors and battalion numerals as worn by other ranks (see below right).

Seebatallion NCOs Blue Field Cap
(See Field Caps Details Page)
Photo Copyright Doppler

NCO Collar Lace Detail
(Note that although this photo shows the lace on the lower edge of the collar, Seebatallion NCO lace was worn at the top of the collar)
(See IWM Collection Page)
IWM Collection

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