German Colonial Uniforms - Specialist Insignia of the Schutztruppe and Other Imperial German Overseas Troops

Specialist Insignia
of the Schutztruppe and Other Overseas Troops

The Schutztruppe and other overseas troops wore several types of specialist insignia ("Sonderheiten Abzeichen").

Most of it was based on that of the regular army but in distinctive colours for different uniforms and branches of the overseas forces. Occasionally locally made insignia was also worn.

While much of this page has been based on period photographs it would not have been possible to complete this page without the masses of information contained in "Das Deutsche Heer Friedensuniformen bei Ausbruch des (1.) Welkrieges" by Herbert Knötel d. J., Paul Pietsch and Egon Jantke (see Illustrated Plates Page).

Askari Musicians Swallows Nest
(See Rödelsee Museum Collection Page)
Photo © Arne Schöfert

Specialist Insignia worn by Germans serving in the Schutztruppe


Figure 1 Marksman SW African Schutztruppe	Figure 2 One Year Volunteer SW African Schutztruppe	Figure 3 Gun Layer SW African Schutztruppe	Figure 4 Gun Layer SW African Schutztruppe 1903	Figure 5 Farrier SW African Schutztruppe 1894

Figure 6 Medic East African Schutztruppe 1912	Figure 7 Qualified Horseman SW African Schutztruppe	Figure 8 Musician SW African Schutztruppe	Figure 9 Bugler SW African Schutztruppe	Figure 10 Music Master Cameroon Schutztruppe

From the early 1890s Germans serving in the Schutztruppe were authorised to wear specialist insignia. This insignia followed Prussian army standards though in Imperial rather than Prussian colours.

Marksman
Marksmanship awards in the early 1890s were worn as short bars of lace above the cuff. From 27th January 1894 a lanyard in twisted cords in the imperial colours was authorised. See Figure 1 showing a second class award worn on the Schutztruppe 1896 khaki uniform.

The lanyard was worn with one end looped around the lower end of the shoulder strap and the other looped around a tunic button, usually the second. The award came in ten different classes.

1st Class had a knotted shoulder end with a single hanging knot at the other end.

2nd Class had a knotted shoulder end with two hanging knots at the other end.

3rd Class had a knotted shoulder end with three hanging knots at the other end.

4th Class had a woven circular shoulder end with no hanging knot at the other end.

5th Class had a brass shield on the shoulder end with no hanging knot at the other end.

6th Class had a brass shield on the shoulder end with a single hanging knot at the other end

7th Class had a brass shield on the shoulder end with two hanging knots at the other end.

8th Class class had a brass shield on the shoulder end with three hanging knots at the other end.

9th Class had a brass shield on the shoulder end with a single hanging knot of yellow metallic thread at the other end.

10th Class had a brass shield on the shoulder end with two hanging knots of yellow metallic thread at the other end.

The brass shield worn on by the fifth to tenth class awards bore the imperial monogram "W II" for Kaiser Wilhelm II surrounded by a wreath topped with an imperial crown. This shield was fitted over the woven circular braid on the shoulder end of the lanyard. Artillery marksmanship awards had small brass artillery shells in place of the knots at the button end.

One Year Volunteer
This insignia consisted of a twisted cord in the imperial colours around the edge of the existing shoulder strap. See Figure 2 as worn on the South West African Schutztruppe 1897 home uniform (note the blue cuff for South West Africa).

One Year Volunteers had a curious position within the German armed forces. Whereas as most Germans were subject to three years conscription in the regular armed forces followed by part time participation in the the Reserve, Landwehr and Landsturm, a one year volunteer could elect to serve only one year before going onto the reserves or straight to officer training.

Only the wealthy could choose to become a one year volunteer for they had to pay for their own uniform, equipment and rations. Because of this many one year volunteers' uniforms were tailor made and of superior quality, their only other distinction being the twisted cord in imperial colours around the shoulder strap. One year volunteers were added as surplus to the strength of a unit and as well as in the regular army they also served in the Imperial Navy, Seebataillone and Schutztruppe of South West Africa.

Artillery Gun Layer
A Gun Layer ("Richtkanonier") is the gunner who "lays" (or aims) the artillery piece. The insignia consisted of a gold grenade motif with flames from its top and both sides on a horizontal oval patch in the colour of the uniform. It was worn on the lower left arm. See Figure 3 as worn by an NCO (note the silver lace edging the cuff) on the South West African Schutztruppe 1896 home uniform.

As well as being used by the artillery batteries of the South West African Schutztruppe, this insignia may also have been used by gun layers in the East African and Cameroon Schutztruppe, although as yet I have yet to see photographic evidence.

Period photographs show a variant of the insignia worn by the Mountain Gun Battery of the South West African Schutztruppe in Okahandja in 1903. See Figure 4. The insignia consisted of a pair of crossed cannons and a flaming grenade embroidered on the upper left arm.

The insignia looks slightly different on different gunners in the original photograph, sometimes with the angle that the cannons cross at being slightly sharper or flatter. This would suggest that the insignia were individually made rather than mass produced. As the insignia has not been illustrated on colour plates before I only have a black and white photo upon which to base this illustration I can only guess at the colour being red, it may of course have been any dark colour.

One other uniform variation has been seen to be worn by the Schutztruppe artillery in South West Africa. Johan Somers' book "Imperial German Uniforms and Equipment 1907-18 Vol.3" (see Book Reviews Page) shows a photograph of a gunner wearing a greatcoat with plain shoulder straps featuring the number "1" (and a grenade motif according to the author, although this cannot be confirmed from the printed photograph). This is presumably a unit number for the battery or artillery company. The colours of the strap or number cannot be made out for certain from the monochrome photograph. This is the only time I have seen unit numerals worn by the Schutztruppe.

Horse Farrier
The insignia worn by a Corporal Farrier ("Fahnenschmied") consisted of a silver/grey horseshoe on the lower left arm. See Figure 5.

In the regular imperial army the lower rank of farrier ("Beschlagschmied") was denoted by a smaller horseshoe in the piping colour of the uniform (in this case blue), while a senior farrier ("Oberfahnenschmied") wore insignia with two concentric horseshoes (one within the other) in silver/grey, it is assumed this practice was also done in the Schutztruppe but has not been confirmed by photographs so far.

The Schutztruppe of German South West Africa were entirely mounted so would have had farriers in each company. Three Schutztruppe companies in Cameroon had mounted elements so may also have had some farriers with this insignia. It seems unlikely that this insignia would have been commonly used in the East African Schutztruppe as so few of their troops were mounted.

Medic
From 1912 the insignia worn by a Medic of the Schutztruppe consisted of a Rod of Asclepius (a snake twisted around a staff) in yellow metallic thread on an oval patch of the same colour as the uniform worn on the upper right arm. See Figure 6 as worn by an NCO on the East African Schutztruppe 1896 home uniform (note the white cuff for German East Africa).

Prior to 1912 medics either wore the uniform of a medical NCO (blue collar and cuffs edged in red) or simply a red cross armband.

Qualified Horseman or Infantryman
A twisted woollen cord was worn on the shoulder strap by graduates of the one year course at the Military Riding School in Hanover and also by personnel attached to and former personnel of the Prussian Infantry Instruction Battalion ("Lehr-Infanterie-Batallion") based in Potsdam. See figure 7.

Musician
Musicians in the German army and also the Schutztruppe were distinguished by striped shoulder pieces known as swallows nests ("Schwalbennest"). These swallows nests came in a range of colours and variations depending on the unit and the type of musician. They were removable in action.

The basic swallows nest was made of two colours- the base of which was in one colour, with eight vertical stripes underlined by one horizontal stripe in a second colour. German musicians in the South West African Schutztruppe wore swallows nests with the base in blue and the stripes in silver/grey.

The swallow's nest of the Schutztruppe remained the same colours on corduroy, tropical white and home grey uniforms. See Figure 8.

The Schutztruppe of Cameroon and East Africa are not known to have had German other ranks musicians, only music masters to lead the African musicians.

Mounted Bugler
Mounted buglers were distinguished by swallows nests based on those of the Prussian cavalry with seven stripes sloped at a 60 degree angle sloping from the bottom edge at the front to the top at the rear. Thus a pair of such nests would look opposite to each other. Again the colours of the swallows nests have the base in blue and the stripes in silver/grey. See Figure 9.

The Schutztruppe of Cameroon and East Africa did not have mounted buglers.

Music Master
The swallows nests of Music Masters ("Musik Meister") and band leaders had a fringe on the bottom edge, usually in the same colour as the stripes of the swallows nest.

There were some differences between different band leaders swallows nests in the different colonies, some having blue as the base colour and silver as the stripe and fringe colour, and some not having the pointed stripes.

The shoulder strap of the music master had a metal lyre badge as worn in the Prussian army. Again these straps may have varied from colony to colony and period photographs also show them wearing plain other ranks shoulder straps.. The Cameroon Schutztruppe Music Master is illustrated by Pietsch as having a red braided shoulder strap with a brass lyre. See Figure 10.

The rank of music master in the regular army was also distinguished in the regular army by wearing a belt buckle with a lyre in the centre rather than a crown. It is unknown if this distinction was worn by the Schutztruppe.

Unteroffizier and Marksman of the South West African Truppe Des Reichs-Kommissars 1892
Note the early marksmanship award as a bar of lace above the cuff of his 1891 uniform.
Photo © Frankfurt University Koloniales Bildarchiv

Unteroffizier and Marksman of the
South West African Schutztruppe
Note the Marksmanship Lanyard and
Long Service Medal
Photo © Joe Robinson

Gefreiter and Gun Layer of the
Mountain Artillery Battery of the
South West African Schutztruppe,
Okahandja 1903
Note the unusual crossed cannon and grenade insignia on his left sleeve.
Photo © Karsten Herzogenrath

Unteroffizier and Farrier
of the South West African Truppe Des Reichs-Kommissars, Potsdam 1894
Note the horse shoe badge on the lower left sleeve of his 1894 Uniform
Photo © Frankfurt University Koloniales Bildarchiv

One Year Volunteer, Walther Sobtzick
of the South West African Schutztruppe
Note the twisted wool in Imperial colours around the shoulder straps.
Photo © Private Collection


Music Master of the South West African Schutztruppe Note the Fringed Swallows Nests, Feldwebel rank chevrons and the senior NCOs sword. Photo © Frankfurt University Koloniales Bildarchiv	Music Master of the East African Schutztruppe Note the Fringed Swallows Nests and shoulder strap insignia. Also of interest is the khaki cover worn over his white 1891 tropical helmet. Photo © Frankfurt University Koloniales Bildarchiv	Music Master of the Cameroon Schutztruppe Note the Fringed Swallows Nests. Interestingly he does not seem to have the pointed swallows nest stripes and red shoulder straps illustrated by Pietsch. Photo © Frankfurt University Koloniales Bildarchiv

Specialist Insignia worn by East African Schutztruppe and Polizeitruppe Askaris


Figure 1 Signals Abteilung	Figure 2 Medic and Musician	Figure 3 Music Player	Figure 4 Gunner and Marksman	Figure 5 Polizeitruppe Ombascha

East African Askaris wore several types of specialist insignia unique to their colony.

Signaller
The Signals Detachment at Dar Es Salaam wore a white oval badge with red crossed signals flags on the upper left arm. The unit consisted of young cadets as well as adult askaris. See Figure 1.

Medic
Some askari medics wore a red cross armband but period photographs also show the use of a red cross on a circular white patch worn on the upper left arm. See Figure 2.

Musician
Askari musicians were divided into two grades- Musician ("Musiker") and Player ("Spielmann").

The higher ranking musicians wore swallows nests with a red base colour with eight vertical stripes underlined by one horizontal stripe in white. See Figure 2.

The lower ranking players wore swallows nests with a khaki base with eight vertical stripes underlined by one horizontal stripe in red. See Figure 3.

Period photographs also show that Askari band leaders wore swallows nests with either white or red fringes.

Artillery Gunner
The gunner's insignia consisted of a red flaming grenade motif with flames emitting from the top and both sides on a white horizontal oval patch worn on the upper left arm. See Figure 4.

I have yet to ascertain for certain but this insignia may have been exclusive to askari gun layers rather than all gunners.

Marksman
The askari marksmanship award consisted of stripes of white lace with black and red threads worn on both lower arms. See Figure 4.

The first class had a single bar of lace.
The second class had two bars of lace.
The third class had three bars of lace (as illustrated here).
The fourth class had a double thickness bar of lace.
The fifth class had a double thickness bar of lace and one bar of lace above.
The sixth class had a double thickness bar of lace and two bars of lace above.

The grades of marksmanship award may have gone higher than the sixth class, but as yet I've seen no confirmation of this.

Photographs often show marksmanship and gunner awards on the same askaris so it is reasonable to assume gunners were picked from the best marksmen. These marksmanship awards were exclusive to askaris of the German East African Schutztruppe.

Polizeitruppe
The insignia of the Polizeitruppe consisted of a red letter "P" on a white vertical oval patch worn on the upper left arm. East African Polizeitruppe askaris are not usually seen in period photographs wearing any other forms of specialist insignia except for marksman ship awards on their cuffs as worn by the Schutztruppe.

Signals Askari Boy in an Elephant's Foot
Note the Signals Insignia on his left sleeve
Photo from Bundesarchiv / Wikimedia

Askari NCO Gunner and Marksman
Note the insignia on the left sleeve- a gun layer's badge, an Ombascha's single red rank chevron and marksmanship awards on the cuff.
Photo © Frankfurt University Koloniales Bildarchiv

Trumpeter of the of the
Dar-Es-Salaam Garrison
Note the red and white swallows nests and also the trumpet banner (possibly in yellow, looking dark in this orthochromatic photograph) with the Imperial Eagle.
Photo by Julius Hermann Schott
© Frankfurt University Koloniales Bildarchiv

East African Askari Musicians of the
Dar-Es-Salaam Garrison
Note the Music-master in the centre with white fringed swallows nests. He also has the cuff lace of a trained marksman and appears to have at least two medals on his left breast.
Photo from Bundesarchiv / Wikimedia

Band Leader of the
7. Feldkompagnie in Bukoba
Note the red fringed swallows nests.
Photo © Frankfurt University Koloniales Bildarchiv

Specialist Insignia for African Soldiers in the Cameroon and Togo Schutztruppe and Polizeitruppe

Figure 1 Music Player Cameroon Schutztruppe	Figure 2 Musician Cameroon Schutztruppe	Figure 3 Music Master Togo Polizeitruppe	Figure 4 Customs Police Cameroon Polizeitruppe	Figure 5 Medic Cameroon Schutztruppe

The African soldiers recruited in Cameroon and Togo did not wear the insignia of the East African askaris. Generally only the bands in the capitals of Duala and Lome wore musicians swallows nests.

Musicians
African musicians were divided into two grades- Musician ("Musiker") and Player ("Spielmann"). The lower ranking players wore swallows nests with a khaki base with eight vertical stripes underlined by one horizontal stripe in red. See Figure 1. The higher ranking musicians wore swallows nests with a red base colour with eight vertical stripes underlined by one horizontal stripe in white. See Figure 2. Period photographs show an African band leader in the Togo Polizeitruppe wearing fringed swallows nests. See Figure 3.

Cameroon Customs Police
The only other known piece of specialist insignia worn in West Africa was a red "Z" (for "Zoll" or customs) worn on the lower left sleeve by the 50 Cameroon Customs Police recruited in 1910. The badge is described and illustrated in several sources such as "Die Kaiserliche Schutz- und Polizeitruppe für Afrika" by Reinhard Schneider and "Uniformen der Marine und Schutztruppen" published by Waldorff Astoria Cigarette Cards, though I have yet to see a period photograph of its use. See Figure 4.

Other Insignia
Insignia for marksmen, medics, gunners and signallers was not authorised for the African Soldiers in the Cameroon and Togo Schutztruppe and Polizeitruppe. One period photograph shows the use of a red cross armband by a Cameroon medic. See Figure 5.

According to Schneider the Ortspolizei (a regional police force) in Togo and Cameroon wore a red letter P on a white vertically oval patch as worn by the East African Polizeitruppe. No photographic evidence of this has been seen yet.

Smaller Colonies
I have seen no evidence of specialist insignia worn by the Polizeitruppe of New Guinea, Samoa or Tsingtao.

Cameroon Schutztruppe Musician
of the Duala Garrison
Note the red and white swallows nests.
Photo © Frankfurt University Koloniales Bildarchiv

Specialist Insignia worn by the Marine Infantry


Figure 1 Signaller	Figure 2 Telegraphist	Figure 3 Pioneer	Figure 4 Gun Layer	Figure 5 Farrier

Figure 6 Standard Bearer	Figure 7 One Year Volunteer	Figure 8 Music Player	Figure 9 Musician	Figure 10 Music Master

The specialist insignia of the Marine Infantry ("Seebataillone") followed Prussian army regulations but in Imperial colours and was therefore almost identical to that of the Germans serving in the Schutztruppe. Arm badges were made with different colour backing to match the blue and khaki uniforms.

Marksman
Marksmen wore the same lanyards across the right breast in Imperial colours as the Schutztruppe.

Signaller
The insignia was worn on the upper right arm and consisted of a pair of crossed flags on a circular patch of the same colour as the tunic. Knötel & Pietsch illustrates these flags as having two red flags with white centre squares, although an unverified surviving item has been seen with a red flag on the right and a white one on the left as worn by the Prussian army. See Figure 1.

Telegraphist
The insignia consisted of a pair of crossed lightening bolts worn on the lower left arm. They were in in yellow metallic thread on the blue peacetime uniform. See Figure 2.

The telegraph Abteilung of the III. Seebataillon was further distinguished by having the letter T on the shoulder strap button rather then the usual company number.

Pioneer
The Pioneer Company of the III. Seebataillon wore a crossed spade and axe badge on the upper left arm. On the blue peacetime uniform it was in yellow metallic thread on a blue patch, and on the khaki uniform it was in red on a khaki patch. On the Litewka tunic the insignia consisted of a red crossed spade and axe on a white vertical oval patch. Photographs also show the same red on white patch was sometimes used on the khaki uniform. See Figure 3.

The Pioneer Company of the III. Seebataillon wore the number "7" for the 7th company of the III. Seebataillon on their shoulder strap button and were further distinguished by having their shoulder board insignia in red rather than the usual yellow on white.

Artillery Gun Layer
The insignia worn by a Gun Layer was worn on the lower left arm and consisted of a flaming grenade symbol in yellow metallic thread on a badge of the same colour as the tunic. See Figure 4.

The Field Artillery Battery of the III. Seebataillon were further distinguished by having a flaming grenade symbol superimposed on the crossed anchors of their shoulder straps.

Farrier
The insignia of a Farrier of the Mounted Company of the III. Seebataillon consisted of a horseshoe worn on the lower left arm in imperial colours on the khaki tropical uniform or yellow metallic thread on the blue peacetime uniform. See Figure 5.

Standard Bearer
Unlike the Schutztruppe which had no company, battalion or regimental standards, the three Seebataillone each had a standard and therefore a stand bearer.

The insignia was worn on the upper right arm and consisted of a shield shaped patch in the colour of the tunic. On the patch was embroidered the imperial crown above two crossed miniature versions of the battalion standard above the imperial monogram "W II" for Wilhelm II. See Figure 6.

Standard Bearers were further distinguished by wearing a brass gorget around the neck. The gorget had a crowned imperial monogram in the centre with a standard on either side. In each corner of the gorget was a flaming grenade.

On parade standard bearers wore a sash from the left shoulder to the right waist in white with gold edging on both sides. The sash had a brass holder decorated with the monogram "W II" to support the weight of the standard while marching.

One Year Volunteer
This insignia consisted of a twisted cord in the imperial colours around the existing shoulder strap. See Figure 7.

Music Player
Musicians of the Seebataillone were divided into two grades- Musician ("Musiker") and Player ("Spielmann"). The insignia of a player on the khaki tropical uniform consisted of swallows nests on both shoulders with the base colour being khaki with the stripes in white. See Figure 8.

On the blue peacetime uniform and the Litewka the base colour was blue.

Musician
The higher ranking musicians wore swallows nests with a khaki or blue base and stripes in yellow or yellow metallic lace. See Figure 9.

Mounted buglers of the III. Seebataillon Mounted Company wore sloped yellow stripes on their swallows nests as described above for Schutztruppe buglers.

Music Master
The Seebataillone music masters swallows nest had a white base with pointed stripes in lace striped with the imperial colours and with a silver fringe. The shoulder strap was white edged with lace in imperial colours and had a brass imperial crown above a lyre. See Figure 10.

The rank of music master in the Prussian army was also distinguished by wearing a belt buckle with a lyre in the centre rather than a crown. This distinction may also have been worn by the Seebataillone.

Qualified Horseman or Infantryman
A twisted woollen cord in Imperial colours was worn on the shoulder strap by graduates of the one year course at the Military Riding School in Hanover and also by personnel attached to and former personnel of the Prussian Infantry Instruction Battalion ("Lehr-Infanterie-Batallion") based in Potsdam.

Medic
The Rod of Asclepius medic's badge may also have been worn by Seebataillon medics from 1912 as it was in the Schutztruppe although I've seen no reference to its use or photographs to confirm it.

Feldwebel and Marksman
of the II. Seebataillon
Note the marksmanship lanyard on the right chest. His sword and double rank lace on the cuffs show him to be a Feldwebel. He wears several medals on the left breast- the Prussian Military Honour Award, the South West African Medal with clasp, the Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal and below it the Prussian other ranks Long Service Award third class.
Photo © Peter Klein

Pioneer, III. Seebataillon
Note the crossed axe and pick insignia in red on khaki on his left sleeve. The pick or shovel handle carried on his back also shows him to be a Pioneer.
Photo © Peter Klein

Marine Infantry Drummer
Note the musicians swallows nests and marching drum with belt mounting with a drumstick holder on his right side.
Photo © Joe Robinson

Telegraphist Werner Schlotte
of the I. Seebataillon c1904
Note the Telegraphist Badge just visible on the lower left sleeve
Photo © Robert Schlotte

NCOs and Standard Bearer
of the III. Seebataillon
Note the standard bearer in the centre with his distinctive shield insignia on the right sleeve and NCOs insignia as a button and lace on the collar. His neighbour has NCO lace and musicians swallows nests.
Photo from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons

One Year Volunteer
of the I. Seebataillon, 1907
Note the twisted wool in Imperial colours around the shoulder straps.
Photo © Joe Robinson

Specialist Insignia worn by the Imperial Army in China and Palestine


Figure 1 Bavarian Marksman East Asian Expeditionary Corps	Figure 2 Musician East Asian Expeditionary Corps	Figure 3 Standard Bearer East Asian Occupation Brigade	Figure 4 Medic Pascha I Expedition

Specialist Insignia worn by German army units in China, Palestine, Macedonia and Georgia followed the same regulations as for their home units with a few small differences. As such they were similar to those worn by Germans serving in the Schutztruppe and Marine Infantry, described above. The differences are described below.

Specialist Insignia of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps
The East Asian Expeditionary Corps was an imperial army formation made up of different state contingents. Their specialist insignia was standardised to a point but had state variations notably in the colours used and details such as coats of arms, monograms and crowns.

Marksmanship Lanyards were in state colours. The Prussian and Württemberg marksmen wore lanyards of black, white and red cords (as seen above worn by the Schutztruppe), the Bavarian marksmen wore white and blue cords (see Figure 1) and the Saxon marksmen wore white and green cords.

The brass shield worn on by the fifth to tenth class awards also had state variations. Each state's shield had the monogram of the king ("W II" for the Kings Wilhelm II of Prussia and Württemberg and "A" for King Albert of Saxony) surrounded by a wreath and topped with their royal crown. The Bavarian marksmen's shield for the 5th-10th class awards was in white metal (except for the 9th and 10th classes which wore brass) and instead of a monogram had a smaller shield divided into blue and white lozenges inside the wreath and Bavarian crown.

As the East Asian Expeditionary Corps was an elite unit formed from the best volunteers from the whole German army, the incidence of marksman's awards was disproportionately high compared to other units.

Another piece of insignia commonly seen in the East Asian cavalry but not used by the Schutztruppe or Marine Infantry was the Cavalry Fencing Award ("Fechterabzeichen"). This was either one (for second class) or two (for first class) chevrons worn on the upper right arm in white or yellow metallic thread. Again as the East Asian Expeditionary Corps was an elite unit formed from the best volunteers from the whole German army, the incidence of fencing awards was disproportionately high compared to other units.

The shoulder strap edging for One Year Volunteers was in state colours.

Badges for Gun Layers and Signallers were not in state colours. Farriers badges for the cavalry and artillery would most likely have been in Prussian colours.

The East Asian Expeditionary Corps carried regimental standards and their Standard Bearers would most likely have all worn Prussian colours and monograms on their specialist badges.

Musicians swallows nests were not in state colours but as usual followed the colour of the uniform with stripes of white or yellow. Sloped stripes were used by cavalry buglers and fringes were worn on the swallows nests of music masters.

Specialist Insignia of the East Asian Occupation Brigade
As an Imperial unit rather than one with different state elements the colours of specialist insignia were those of the Empire rather than those of the different states used by the earlier Expeditionary Corps. Aside from that all standard Prussian army specialist insignia is believed to have been authorised although not all has been seen in period photographs.

Specialist Insignia of Overseas Army Units during the First World War
Army units in Palestine, Macedonia and Georgia wore the same specialist insignia as worn by German army units on the Western Front at this stage in the war. This insignia had state variations although these variations were seen less commonly later in the war and many units from smaller states wore Prussian insignia through shortages. The largely Bavarian Georgian Mission would most likely have retained their blue and white insignia where applicable.

Late war insignia was made in duller colours and specialist insignia was generally worn less frequently as the war went on. Some titles were redundant in new wartime units such as the One Year Volunteer and Regimental Standard Bearer. Cavalry Fencing Awards largely dropped out of use and Marksmanship lanyards are seen less frequently.

German units in Palestine are seen in period photographs wearing musician's swallows nests, red cross armbands and the occasional marksmanship lanyard. They may well also have worn the insignia of a farrier, gun layer, telegraphist and signalman although I have yet to see period photographs proving their use.

A 1917 Pascha khaki tunic displayed in the Bavarian Army Museum has the medic's Rod of Asclepius arm badge in khaki on the right sleeve as worn by the Schutztruppe from 1912.

First Class Fencer and Marksman
East Asian Expeditionary Corps 1900
Note the Fencing Award first class as two chevrons on the right sleeve and the marksmanship lanyard worn on the left side instead of the regulation right.
Photo © Joe Robinson

Infantrymen of the Asienkorps in Palestine 1918
The soldier on the right has a marksmanship lanyard most probably in Prussian colours across his right breast and a Prussian Iron Cross second class ribbon in his second buttonhole.
Photo from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons

Hilfshobist Franz Weigelt of the 3rd East Asian Infantry Regt 1900 Note the Musicians Swallows Nests and the Oboe to his right. Photo © Karsten Herzogenrath	Musician of the Train Company East Asian Occupation Brigade c1901 He wears the 1900/01 Field Grey Uniform with the unique field grey shako worn only by the Train and the short lived Jäger company. Note the musicians swallows nests, NCO rank lace on the collar and cuffs along with a chevron on the left sleeve. He wears the Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal. Photo © Karsten Herzogenrath	Music Master and Unteroffizier of the 505th Motorised Unit of the Asienkorps, Palestine 1917-18 Note the fringed swallows nests and Schutztruppe style Unteroffizier rank chevron. Photo © Joe Robinson

Specialist Insignia worn by the Imperial Navy


Figure 1 Gunner	Figure 2 Signaller	Figure 3 Torpedo Crew	Figure 4 One Year Volunteer

As the Imperial navy grew and updated, it required more technical specialists in its crews. These were not usually the same specialists as seen in the army.

The navy did not have standard bearers, farriers or pioneers for example, though they did have gunners, signallers, telegraphist, one year volunteers and marksman (usually gunnery marksmen with miniature shells instead of pips on the end of their lanyards.

There were very many other naval specialist badges worn by the Imperial German Navy. Most were worn as badges of uniform colour on the upper left arm. See Figures 1-4.

Naval Gunners Insignia
(See Naval Uniforms Details Page)
Photo Copyright Doppler