German Colonial Uniforms in South West Africa

Imperial Commissioner's Unit

by Mark Keigwin


Right figure: Officer or Trooper, Imperial Commissioner's Unit, 1889. Light gray hat, hatband, coat, and pants. Natural leather equipment, yellow metal buckle with circular white metal center, black handle, white metal scabbard tip. Worn with buckling, brown leather leggings.

Left figure: Trooper, Imperial Commissioner's Unit, 1893. White tropical helmet and chinstrap, black-white-red national cockade, silver eagle plate and spike. Light gray jacket with silver buttons, cornflower blue collar, cuffs, and piping, shoulder cords of white, red and black mix. White patch with red stripe in center on collar and cuffs. Light gray trousers with cornflower blue piping. Natural leather equipment, yellow metal buckle with circular white metal center, black handle, white metal scabbard tip. Worn with buckling brown leather leggings.

Officers had a silver patch on collar and cuffs. (As a further distinction they may have worn brown riding boots instead of leggings.

Drawings after illustration, Uniformbogen Nr. 21, Schutztruppe fur Deutsch-Sudwestafrica 1889-1915, H. Knotel/Hans M. Brauer.

German Colonial Uniforms in South West Africa

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© Copyright 2003 by Richard Brooks.
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