Chris Dale

I've added a page on my website about the uniforms worn during Hentig's Mission to Afghanistan- http://s400910952.websitehome.co.uk/germancolonialuniforms/afghan%20mission.htm You'll find some clearer photos of Hentig and the rest of the mission there. Perhaps someone can identify some of Hentig's medals from those photos? Cheers Chris

Thanks for that information Saschaw. Cheers Chris

Hi Hugh, Thanks for that. Actually "Like Hidden Fire" was the first book I read on this subject, it's a great read isn't it? On von Hentig's mysterious medals, he worked in the German diplomatic corps in Peking, Tehran and the Ottoman Empire before the Afghan Mission so its quite possible that some of his medals are Chinese, Persian or Turkish... Cheers Chris

Werner Otto von Hentig (1886-1984) was one of the leaders of the German Afghan Mission 1915-16, prior to then he was wounded as an officer in the 3rd Cuirassiers on the Eastern Front. This photo shows him in Afghanistan still with his white cavalry uniform. I'm wondering what medals he's wearing. Does anyone know he was awarded by 1915? There's a better version of that photo here- http://www.phototheca-afghanica.ch/index.php?id=35&no_cache=1&tx_browser_pi1[showUid]=205&cHash=44602c60b5 Any help would be appreciated! Cheers Chris

Hey Ralph, Thanks for posting that SMS Panther cap... very cool! Cheers Chris

Thanks for posting those great photos, Chris. Many different examples on Col Joe's website here- http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/Uberzug.html Cheers Chris

Thank you Sascha again! So what was his father's medal? Cheers Chris

Thanks guys, much appreciated! Cheers Chris

Forgive my ignorance but what are his first two medals? Very interesting chap this Gustav is, thanks for posting this. Cheers Chris

Here's a photo of Sultan Wali Mohamed bin Salim of Mikindani who worked for the Germans as a local official in East Africa. The photo was taken in 1902. He wears a medal. Is it a German one do you think? There's a larger version of the photo from the Library of Congress here http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/89708468/ But it's not much clearer sorry. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on this one. Cheers Chris

Hi Chip, Glad you like the photo. Here's another one on the cover of the book I previously mentioned- That book is very highly recommended by the way. Cheers Chris

Difficult to tell as it was in a glass display cabinet... Cheers Chris

Chris, according to "Tropenhelme der kaiserliche Marine, der Ostasiatischen Truppen und der Schutztruppen" by Ulrich Schiers the white eagle pre-dates the brass one. Chip, you're right there certainly were exceptions to the rules. Here's an example from the German Historical Museum in Berlin of a khaki helmet with white metal eagle- Cheers Chris

Hi Chip, I believe you and I had this very same conversation a few years back. Since then I've looked further into if the eagles were white metal or yellow metal. It seems both were worn. Most of my information about regulations is from "Tropenhelme der kaiserliche Marine, der Ostasiatischen Truppen und der Schutztruppen" by Ulrich Schiers (Published by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Heereskunde) What I gleaned was roughly- "A white tropical helmet was issued in 1898 with a white metal imperial eagle superimposed over an anchor in the style worn on the Seebataillon shakos, over a small imperial cockade. Several changes to the design of the helmet occurred over the following years. On 28th June 1900 the eagle was authorised in bronze rather than white metal, and in 1905 the helmet was officially changed to a khaki one for other ranks with officers and senior NCOs still wearing white. These uniform orders do not however tell the full story and are often contradicted by photographic evidence. For example, khaki helmets have been seen in photographs of the Seebataillone as early as the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. From such photographs it seems that the I. Seebataillon had khaki helmets, while the II. Seebataillon had white helmets (sometimes worn with khaki covers). The III. Seebataillon also received khaki helmets around this time, either shortly before or after the Boxer Rebellion. This theory is supported in text by Eberhard Hettler. During this period, as mentioned above photographs of officers and senior NCOs of all battalions seem to be mostly wearing white helmets. Furthermore photographs clearly show that the Marine Expeditionskorps in South West Africa wore khaki helmets in 1904, so the regulation order of 1905 for khaki helmets seems to have been largely retrospective. Later photographs of III. Seebataillon officers and senior NCOs in China show them sometimes wearing khaki tropical helmets too. Officers were also authorised to wear a gold coloured cord around the hatband of the helmet." Any comments welcome, I'm sure there were several variations of all types with privately purchased examples. Cheers Chris

Hi Chris, Nice photo, but I think that's a Marine Infantry soldier in DSWA not Schutztruppe. Yes, more exceptions to rules! Cheers Chris

Interesting bars... On a similar note, here's a veteran in 1938 with the EK2 and China Medal. I don't know much about RKB uniforms but his white hatband suggests to me that he may also have served in East Africa. Yet no Hindenburg Cross or Long Service either... suggesting it was possible to have China and Hindenburg without the Long Service too. and blurred but closer- This photo is from the Frankfurt Colonial Archives by the way. Cheers Chris

Wow! I've never seen anything like that before, though you may well be right with the unit... Thanks very much for showing the pictures! I suppose you know what I'm going to ask... Cheers Chris

Glad you're enjoying them Gentlemen, wish I taken more photos of this collection!

Glad you like them. From my notes, I think the Luitpold medals were from left to right- standard medal, with crown and the years 1839-1909, gold with crown and the years 1821-1911 and with crown and the years 1821-1911. Does that sound correct? Cheers Chris

I took some photos a while back at the Bavarian Army Museum in Ingolstadt. They've got just about every medal awarded to the Bavarian army on display. I wish I'd photographed them all but here's some I did take. Hope you enjoy them, Cheers Chris For more information see- Bayerisches-Armeemuseum.de Neues Schloss Paradeplatz 4 85049 Ingolstadt

Great bar, thanks for sharing it with us. Cheers Chris

Here's an interesting piece I found http://www.mandaras.info/MandarasPublishing/Hauptmann_von_Raben%27s_letter_Robinson_2010.pdf It seems von Raben had unofficial truces with his British counterparts where gifts were exchanged... Cheers Chris

Thank you Piekenier for the identification, sorry I should have put a close up in- This photo is from Joe Rookery's Collection here- http://www.flickr.com/photos/joerookery/5673066110/sizes/l/in/set-72157625375396481/ Cheers Chris

I love the idea of their wives telling them what to wear each day! Like in Dad's Army when Pike's mum always tells him to wear a scarf to prevent croup!

Yeah, maybe I should have said "relatively cold weather"! I don't think those little vests would help with European or American proper cold weather... Cheers Chris