SWA troops but when?

[Tony]

Hello all,

I have a two questions regarding these SWA photos I found while looking for something else which I incidentally didn?t find (isn't it always the way).

I?ve had the photo years and years and have never really wondered about them but, can anyone tell from the uniforms on the photo with the bike when they may have been taken? The tunics are corduroy.

The second photo has a Munsterlager stamp and a date of 14.4.05. Is the man standing with the pistol wearing his hat the wrong way round? The others have the turned up brim on the opposite side.

Tony

[Tony]

Pic 2.

Thanks

Tony

Ooops, think this should have gone in the Imperial German Uniforms & Equipment forum.

Edited May 27, 2006 by Tony

[Guest Rick Research]

I've never seen colonial tunics without collar and cuff litzen-- I wonder if that indicates these are local reservists on maneuvers?

The rifle is the old M1888 pattern rather than the familiar M1898. The guy in the first photo has got "his" sword wrong way to in the scabbard, so like the bicycle, the gear may all be photographer's props.

Only one ring on that nickled scabbard which suggests soon after 1906 when the second scabbard ring was done away with, and soon after that all scabbards were blackened. Say 1906-10.

Yup, Will Bill Hickok there in the second one has his hat on backwards.

[Tony]

Yup, Will Bill Hickok there in the second one has his hat on backwards.

Hello Rick,

The photographer probably said "watch the birdie, ahhhhhhh where's yer hat." The offending soldier snatched it and put it on the wrong way.

One of them in that photo is called Otto, don't know which one though. May have also been taken in Munsterlager, I've had my photo taken there too. Nice place for photos.

Tony

[Chris Boonzaier]

I've never seen colonial tunics without collar and cuff litzen-- I wonder if that indicates these are local reservists on maneuvers?

The troops that were rushed to GSWA after the start of the Herero uprising... they were not regular colonial troops...

Did they have the same uniform?

[Chris Dale]

I've never seen colonial tunics without collar and cuff litzen-- I wonder if that indicates these are local reservists on maneuvers?

Hello,

Thanks for posting the great photos. The tunic without litzen is the Kord Litewka introduced for the Schutztruppe of DSWA in 1900. It gradually replaced the tunic with Litzen (the Kord Waffenrock) and the Waffenrock was officially withdrawn in 1913.

The ammunition pouches also help date the photo. They are of a type replaced about 1906 by new ones similar except they had a button on each pouch.

I hope that helps a bit....

Cheers

Chris

[Tony]

Thanks Chris, probably soon after 1906 then which ties in with the nickled scabbard that Rick mentioned.

Yes, they are great photos and I wished I had more but I haven't seen any like them for ages now.

Tony

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

it it possible to date this one from the Photo?

[Chris Dale]

Hi,

it it possible to date this one from the Photo?

Hi Chris,

Only very roughly, between Nov 1896 when this Kord Waffenrock was authorised and the First World War when it was still sometimes worn.

But those posed photos above and lots like them seem to have been taken in bulk when the Schutztruppe were being reinforced at the begining of the Herero Rebellion and most date from 1904-05.

Cheers

Chris