Chinese (naval) cap tally?

[Gensui]

Gents, 

This (probably) cap tally is puzzling me. Can anyone give me a translation (and confirmation, if it's really Chinese not Taiwanese)?

Thanks and best regards, 

Chris

[JapanX]

Looks pretty terrible for a cap tally. Even for a modern one.

Meinst du nicht Chris? 

徳國水兵膠州 

徳國 - German
水兵 - Sailor 
膠州 - Jiaozhou https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaozhou_Bay

[Gensui]

Now with this transcription I can see the kanji, thanks a lot mate! 
 

Maybe some Chinese sailors under German command? Such as Hilfsseeleute (compare to the Chinese Leasehold Police under German command)? 
 

I know this tally from a picture, but can‘t find it...

 

BR, Chris

[JapanX]

 

43 minutes ago, Gensui said:

Maybe some Chinese sailors under German command? Such as Hilfsseeleute (compare to the Chinese Leasehold Police under German command)? 

 

If he was under German command then why tally is in chinese? 

And this handwriting is simply terrible ...  

Me and my friend from SMS Gneisenau are having doubts.

 

 

 

[Gensui]

Maybe for the locals? Or maybe a Chinese ship, serving for the German Gouvernment?

I agree with you, the writting looks terrible. But by own experience, I would say, this was written by a Chinese (not European, Chinese speaking/writting guy). My Japanese handwritting will be easily identified as "non-Japanese writter".

I found attached picture (courtesy of Chris Dale, http://www.germancolonialuniforms.co.uk/). Looks terrible as well, isn't it?

BR, Chris

[JapanX]

This one  looks perfectly ok to me unlike "tally" in the first post.

 

3 hours ago, Gensui said:

 I found attached picture (courtesy of Chris Dale, http://www.germancolonialuniforms.co.uk/). Looks terrible as well, isn't it?

You've got to be kidding me 

 

 

 

 

[JapanX]

Regarding "Die chinesische Polizei" in Jiaozhou

http://www.traditionsverband.de/magazin/polizeiuniform.html

 

 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by JapanX

[Gensui]

Thanks Nick!

 

Fortunately, I got in touch with the Great-grandniece of this previous “owner”.

According to her, her Great-granduncle was commanded on board of the SMS Prinzeß Wilhelm in China. Before he returned to Germany, he arranged some sweetheart tallies. His diary mentioned, that he asked his Chinese “Mafu” to “create” this tally. Later back in Germany, he bought a “Reservistenpaddel” (English?) and tied this tally to several others. Unfortunately, the “Paddel” was sold a couple of years ago and the former buyer untied this Chinese written tally.

 

BR, Chris  

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