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Figures 1-2 are based on a photograph of
soldiers of one of the various the Chinese
Companies of the German Forces in China taken in
about 1901. The III. Seebatallion raised a Chinese Company in Tsingtao
although it was not considered fit for service in the Boxer Rebellion,
while the East Asian Expeditionary Corps also formed Chinese
Companies. The Chinese Companies of the East Asian troops were
disbanded along with their parent units in 1909 or before. The Chinese
Company of the III. Seebatallion was converted to a police company in 1909
and known as the Tsingtao Chinese Police.
The various original Chinese companies
wore several different types of uniform. Early patterns were based on
Seebatallion stocks or Chinese style dress, these were later replaced
by a grey/green uniform with yellow facings. Headgear likewise varied
from Chinese traditional wear, to turbans, field caps and a special
type of peaked cap in grey/green with ear flaps.
These soldiers wear a similar Chinese
style uniform as later worn by the Tsingtao Chinese Police. The tunic
and trousers are of Chinese style in khaki. The hat is a traditional
small black peakless Chinese cap with a small pom-pom on the top. The
straw soled sandals and stockings are similarly Chinese. The equipment
is M1895 issue and is clasped at the front possibly with a dragon belt
buckle (see right). Traditional Chinese long hair pigtails were worn
tucked into the belt at the back. This curious practice was also
continued by the later Tsingtao Chinese police force.
Figure
3 is based on a pre-war
photograph of the Chinese Tsingtao Police. He wears a plain khaki tunic
with standing collar and concealed buttons and matching trousers. The
uniform is
accompanied by blue-grey puttees and a Chinese-style broad hat with black, white and
red tassels. NCO rank was shown by one or two stripes above the cuff in dark
blue on the khaki uniform (in gold on the winter uniform see following
figures). The policeman in this illustration also wears a broad black/white/red
armband for identification (see right) as seen in several photos of the
time (see above right).
Figure 4 is based on a pre-war
photograph of the Chinese Tsingtao Police in the dark blue-grey padded
winter uniform. It was of similar cut to the khaki uniform and
was
accompanied by a blue-grey turban and riding boots, blue-grey puttees or sometimes fur lined Chinese
style boots. Note
the insignia with individual number for each policeman (in this case "71"-
see below right) and Chinese
characters on his left arm (this dark blue identification patch was also usually
worn on the khaki uniform). He is armed with a German M1889 cavalry sabre
without a sword knot. In peacetime the dismounted police usually carried truncheons but were
armed with rifles by the Navy on active service.
Figure 5 is based on a pre-war
photograph of the Chinese Tsingtao Police in the dark blue-grey greatcoat
worn with winter dress. It also has the same dark blue oval patch on the left
arm. The brown leather belt is fastened with a plain brass belt buckle.
The Chinese Police were officered by Germans from the III. Seebatallion
and Naval Artillery Batteries.
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