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This is a posed studio
photograph taken
in Wilhelmshaven, Germany sometime between the 1880's and 1914. It shows an
unknown Seesoldat of the II. Seebataillon (who were based at
Wilhelmshaven).
He wears the
Seebataillon Dark Blue Home Uniform
(see right) with collar, cuffs and piping in white with yellow Litzen
on the collar and cuffs. The insignia on the shoulder straps is also
yellow and shows an imperial crown above two crossed anchors above the
battalion numeral II. The tunic has plain domed brass buttons on the
front, cuffs and rear skirts and smaller brass buttons with the
company number holding the shoulder straps. His trousers are matching dark blue with white
piping.
Notice the curious way in which old
orthochromatic film shows yellow (on the Litzen and shoulder strap
insignia) as a very dark colour, much
darker than natural. This was caused by the inferior
photographic techniques of the time. See the
Pickelhaubes Forum for more information on orthochromatic film.
He wears the Seebataillon
peaked cap (see right) in matching dark blue with white hatband and
piping and a black leather peak. It has a small imperial cockade at
the front of the hatband. Other ranks usually wore peakless field
caps, but were allowed to privately purchase the peaked version as
usually worn by senior NCOs and officers.
He wears a polished black
leather belt with an other ranks naval belt buckle (brass with a white
metal centre bearing the imperial crown inside a wreathed motto "Gott
mit uns" - see Belt Buckle Details Page). From the left side of the
belt is hung a bayonet, although the exact model cannot be clearly
seen.
He carries a pair of white
gloves in his left hand. This curious addition is commonly seen in
posed photographs of the period. It is believed the practice was
started by the Kaiser Wilhelm II to make his noticeably smaller left
arm appear longer. It then became the fashion amongst the German armed
forces to carry a pair of gloves in one's left hand.
Please respect the
generosity of the Doppler Collection in sharing this photograph with us by not reproducing it
without prior permission.
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