South West African Schutztruppe Reiter

 
     
 

 
 

Photo © Doppler Collection

 



 

   

This is a posed studio photograph taken in Germany in 1904 or 1905. It shows an unknown Schutztruppe Reiter shortly before his departure for South West Africa.

He wears the Schutztruppe Südwester Hat in grey felt, with blue hatband and edging for South West Africa, pinned up on the right hand side with a large imperial cockade (see right). His tunic is the 1900 Kord Litewka, with concealed buttons on the front and pockets and shoulder straps of white twisted cord with threads in red and black. He wears aiguillette twisted black/white/red cords across his left breast. These were usually only worn on parade.

He carries the Mounted Equipment and Ammunition Pouches exclusive to the Schutztruppe in brown leather with matching riding boots and stirrups. His company coloured bayonet knot can been seen at his left side. He carries his rifle with the bayonet fixed and has binoculars around his neck.

This combination of uniform and equipment were probably only seen together for a studio photograph. Aiguillette cords were not usually worn in action, while binoculars were not often worn on parade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please respect the generosity of the Doppler Collection in sharing this photograph with us by not reproducing it without prior permission. 


South West African Schutztruppe Südwester Hat
(See Südwester Details Page)
Photo
© Doppler Collection

Schutztruppe Kord Litewka
with Ammunition Pouches

(See Swakopmund Museum Photos Page)
Photo
© Phil Buhler

   
 
 
Please contact me here if you have other photographs of the German colonies or the soldiers and sailors that served there. I am especially keen to hear from people with family photograph collections and am always happy to try to assist in identifying uniforms, units, places and dates for family history research.

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