Uniforms of the African Other Ranks of the Togo Polizeitruppe

Uniforms 1880s-1890s
The evolution of the early Togo Polizeitruppe uniforms has been described by several sources (including Haupt, Abbott, Somers and Schneider- see Book Reviews Page) but very little photographic evidence has been seen to verify these changes.

The earliest uniforms of the Togo Polizeitruppe were white and of naval cut with full length sleeves and three quarter length trousers. The naval collar was edged in red and a red sash was worn around the waist under the belt. Headdress consisted of a plain red felt fez with a blue/black tassel. No boots or puttees were worn.

In 1887 this uniform was replaced by a new blue uniform. This uniform is described as consisting of a dark blue tunic with brass buttons and red piping and shoulder straps, and knee length dark blue trousers. Headgear consisted of a white cap with a white peak (this has not so far ben verified in period photographs). The cap was replaced in 1890 with what is described as a Prussian Infantry cap (in which case it would also be dark blue, with red piping and hatband and possibly without a peak) with a small imperial cockade (again this Prussian style cap has not so far been verified in period photographs). A red sash was still worn around the waist with the blue uniform.

Uniforms 1890s-1914
In 1891 new headgear was introduced in the from of a red rolled felt fez similar to that worn in Cameroon with a brass imperial eagle badge and a blue/black tassel. This was followed in 1894 by a new khaki uniform, similar to those worn by African other ranks in Cameroon and East Africa. The Togo Polizeitruppe version had five or six brass buttons down the front and no pockets or shoulder straps (although variations existed and at least one photograph shows plain shoulder straps worn by the Polizeitruppe band in Lome). The standing collar and cuffs had a red lace bar around them. The tunic was usually worn tucked into a red sash around the waist. The trousers were of matching khaki and usually gathered below the knee (although some photographs show NCOs wearing full length trousers). As with previous Togo Polizeitruppe uniforms they were usually worn without puttees or boots (although at least one photograph shows an NCO wearing puttees sometime between 1910 and 1914).

From about 1910 onwards a dark khaki peaked cap began to replace the fez. It had a black leather peak and a red hatband with a small imperial cockade on the front. From photographic evidence it appears that this cap was first issued to NCOs, while other ranks still wore the fez. Later photographs show whole units wearing the peaked cap although some of the Togo Polizeitruppe may have retained the fez up until 1914.

Some sources (most notably the "Deutsches Kolonial-Lexikon" Leipzig 1920) show a khaki peaked field cap with yellow piping around the crown and at the top and bottom of the hatband. It is difficult to tell from monochrome period photographs if this cap was issued, or how common it was. It may have been introduced from 1912 when yellow was officially adopted as the colony colour for Togo.
 

Insignia
NCO rank insignia was worn in the form of a number of individual red chevrons worn on both arms. The number of chevrons denoting each rank was the same as for the Schutztruppe askaris of East Africa (see NCO Rank Insignia Page). From period photographs it appears that these chevrons varied in size and positioning, some are seen as being quite small on the upper arms while others are seen to be considerably larger and on the lower arms. Unusually, senior African NCOs in Togo carried a sword, although probably not usually in action.

From photographic evidence it appears that musicians in regional police companies did not usually wear swallow's nests although the Lome based Polizeitruppe band did wear them. The Lome band musicians were probably divided into two grades, as with the East African Schutztruppe askaris- Musician ("Musiker") and Player ("Spielmann") and wore the same coloured swallow's nests (see Specialist Insignia Page). One photograph shows an African Music Master wearing fringed swallow's nests. No other specialist insignia has been confirmed as worn by the Togo Polizeitruppe from photographic evidence. According to Schneider (see Book Reviews Page) the Ortspolizei (regional police force) in Togo wore a red letter P on a white vertically oval patch as worn by the East African Polizeitruppe (again see Specialist Insignia Page).

Equipment and Weapons
The earliest Togo Polizeitruppe carried the old Prussian single large cartridge box and the Mauser Karbine 71. From 1888 these were gradually replaced with 1871 pattern ammunition pouches worn one on each side of a plain brass belt buckle (see Belt Buckles Details Page) and the Mauser Gewehr 71 and Jägerbüsche 71. By 1914 most of the Polizeitruppe had again been re-armed with the Kar98az, leaving the stocks of 1871 model rifles for use by Polizeitruppe reservists recalled to arms in the First World War. By 1914 the Togo Polizeitruppe were also armed with Maxim machine guns.

The Illustrations