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Figure 1 is based on a photograph
of a Naval Officer from one of the ships of the East Asian Squadron taken in Samoa in about
1910. He wears the standard white officers uniform as worn on board ship in
the tropics and also on land. It consists of a white cotton pocketless tunic
(see below right) although some similar tunics may have have hip and a single breast
pocket, with six brass buttons, a standing collar and naval rank insignia on his
shoulder straps. With it he wears matching white cotton trousers and shoes.
Likewise his naval cap is also in white (see right). This officer is
clearly not dressed for action. In action he may have worn a belt and pistol and
probably a tropical helmet.
Figure 2 is based on a photograph
of a Naval Officer from the Landing Party of the SMS Swalbe (Swallow)
taken in 1889 in Bagamoyo, German East Africa during the Abushiri Rebellion. He wears a blue naval officers double breasted jacket with rank shown as brass bars
under an Imperial crown on the lower cuffs. He wears a white naval tropical
helmet with an Imperial cockade on the front. He is armed with a pistol in a Sam
Brown style belt and an officers' sword.
Figure 3 is based on a photograph
of a Naval Officer from the SMS Königsberg taken in German East Africa early in the
First World War. He (like several other officers in the original photograph) wears a white naval
tropical helmet with Imperial cockade and a khaki naval officers uniform with rank on the braided shoulder
straps. He is armed with a Luger 04 naval pistol and has its distinctive
ammunition pouch worn on a Sam Brown style belt. Items such as the sword and neat shirt and tie under the tunic were soon
given up under combat conditions in the East African campaign.
Figure 4 is based on a photograph
of a Naval Officer probably originally from the SMS Königsberg now fully
incorporated into the Schutztruppe taken along with other Schutztruppe officers in
November 1918 just after von Lettow-Vorbeck's surrender. Typically for
this late stage in the war he wears a mixture of
naval and other uniforms. He retains his
naval officer's peaked cap (with gold wreath surrounding an imperial
black/white/red cockade) but without its wire retaining band around the top to
hold its shape. He has a loosely worn naval khaki tunic (with naval
officer's embroidered shoulder straps). His shorts are certainly not regulation
and may be either captured British stock or cut down versions of his original
uniform. Likewise the puttees are not naval issue and may also be either
Schutztruppe, captured or
improvised stock.
As a prisoner of war he carries no equipment but during the war he would
probably have worn
a pistol belt at least. |
Naval Officer's White Cap
(See
Naval Uniforms Details Page)
IWM Collection
Naval Officers White Tunic
(See
White
Naval Tunic Page)
Photo Copyright Doppler
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