A Marine
Infantry Officer's Litewka Tunic
Photos © Robert Pandis
This tunic was found
along with the cap at auction amongst a collection of Japanese
uniforms, suggesting that it might have been captured by the
Japanese at Tsingtao in 1914. It would therefore most likely be
from an officer of the III. Seebataillon or the East Asian
Marine Detachment. It is privately tailored, as was common with
officers' uniforms yet has no tailors mark inside. It may have
been made by a tailor in China. It is made to the same
specifications as most Marine Infantry officer's Litewkas except
that it has no left breast pocket. Period photographs show that
this was a relatively common variation.
The shoulder straps
are those of a Captain ("Hauptmann") with two pips next
to the Imperial crown of the Marine Infantry. The Prussian Iron
Cross first class seen on the left breast would not have been
worn by the Marine Infantry at Tsingtao before or during the
First World War. Other close up photos below show detail of the
concealed buttons at the front of the tunic and the tunic
lining.
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