German East Asian Troops 1901-09 Summer Uniforms       Figure 1 NCO 5th East Asian Infantry Regt 1900 Summer Uniform Figure 2 NCO Standard Bearer 1st East Asian Infantry Regt 1900 Summer Uniform Figure 3 Trooper East Asian Cavalry Squadron 1904 Summer Uniform   Uniforms of the German East Asian Army 1901-09 Between late 1900 and early 1901 new uniforms in khaki and field grey were authorised for the East Asian Expeditionary Corps (and its later successors, the East Asian Occupation Brigade and East Asian Detachment). These uniforms are usually referred to as the 1900 uniforms as parts of them and their design had been authorised by the Prussian war ministry between September and December of 1900, although the Earlier Khaki Uniforms are also confusingly referred to as 1900 uniforms. The new 1900 uniforms were finally authorised for the East Asian Expeditionary Corps on 9th February 1901. Along with the demise of the old blue uniforms, went the different state insignia for Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Württemberg and Baden. The new uniforms had only the imperial insignia as used by the Schutztruppe and imperial navy. The change from the early 1900 uniforms to the later 1900 uniforms was not a smooth one and period photographs from late 1900 into 1901 often show mixtures of uniforms being worn, for example an early 1900 straw hat worn with the late 1900 khaki tunic, or an early 1900 tunic worn with a late 1900 tropical helmet. 1900 Khaki Uniform and 1900 Bortfeldt Helmet from a Sergeant of the 1st East Asian Infantry Regiment  Photos from the Imperial War Museum 1900 Khaki Summer Uniform Tunic The tunic had a stand and fall collar, concealed buttons down the front, plain cuffs, two slightly sloped breast pockets and two straight hip pockets with concealed buttons. There was no piping on the uniform except on the shoulder straps. The rear was plain with two yellow metal buttons bearing the imperial crown, to support the belt. Shoulder straps were khaki with piping and insignia depending on arm of service (see Arm of Service Details below) and were each held with a small yellow metal button with the company number (where applicable) on them. Insignia A single chevron of white lace with black and red threads was worn on the left upper sleeve by all NCOs and officers on the new East Asian uniforms. NCOs rank was shown in the form of a band of white lace with red and black threads around the front and bottom edge of the collar (see right) and a brass collar buttons (see NCO Rank Insignia page). NCOs did not display rank lace on the cuffs of the new khaki uniform. Officer's rank on the new khaki and field grey uniforms was shown in the usual way, as worn by the army, Marine Infantry and Schutztruppe, with braided shoulder straps and pips (see Officers Rank Insignia page). Specialist insignia was as worn in the Imperial army (see Specialist Insignia page). Other forms of insignia and armbands worn by the East Asian Occupation Brigade are described on the Winter Uniform Page. Trousers Trousers were in matching khaki also without piping and new khaki riding breeches were introduced for mounted personnel with khaki reinforcement on the inner sides. Tropical Helmet In December 1900 the East Asian straw hat was officially replaced with a tropical helmet ("Tropenhelm") of the 1895 naval pattern made by Ludwig Bortfeldt of Bremen. It was a tall cork helmet covered with khaki cloth. It had a yellow metal (white metal for general staff and pioneers) imperial eagle with down-swept wings on the front, a hatband in arm of service colours (see Arm of Service Details below) and large imperial cockade which was pinned over the hatband on the right hand side. Period photographs show that the cockade was also occasionally pinned above the hatband, on the front of the hatband and in at least one photograph on the left side of the hatband. The helmet came with a removable khaki neckshade which fitted with hooks onto the helmet just below the hatband. One curious period photograph shows the tropical helmet worn with a Pickelhaube spike in place of the ventilation top of the tropical helmet. In 1902 Bortfeldt designed a newer helmet of similar shape but with a folding rear peak. This later helmet was issued to the German army serving in Macedonia and Palestine during the First World War. East Asian Bortfeldt 1900 Tropical Helmets See Tropical Helmets Page With white Infantry Hatband and Imperial cockade on the wrong side. Photos by Khukri originally shown on the Pickelhaubes Forum Without the hatband and cockade but with Neckshade Photo © Doppler Collection With Red Cavalry Hatband Photo © Traditionsverband       Tropical Shako Another curious variation of the tropical helmet was the tropical shako ("Tropen-Tschako"). This was a cork Bortfeldt helmet made in a shape of a Jäger shako and was worn with a blue hatband by the East Asian Train Company and very briefly with a green hatband by the East Asian Jäger Company (who were disbanded in May 1901 shortly after its introduction). Peaked Cap The khaki field cap ("Bordmutze") was authorised from 12th August 1900 and replaced the previous straw hat for all troops sent to China after that date. It was a plain khaki cap with a khaki hatband, the same as worn by the III. Seebatallion. Until 9th February 1901 a small imperial cockade was worn on the front of the cap above a small state cockade. From 9th February 1901 only the imperial cockade was worn on the front of the cap. The cap had a black leather peak and chinstrap held by two plain yellow metal buttons, and an internal wire retaining loop to hold the shape of the crown although the wire band was often removed. A removable neckshade was issued that attached to the two chinstrap buttons on either side. A new cap was introduced in early 1901, also confusingly called the 1900 Field Cap. It was a again a khaki cotton peaked cap but varied in several small ways. The peak was of grey leather and the chinstrap of brown leather. The chinstrap buttons were still of yellow metal but now bore an imperial crown. Most noticeably there were two small ventilation holes on either side of the upper part of the cap. These each had a small black metal grill. The officers cap had two ventilation holes each at the front and back as well as the sides all with yellow metal grills. Again only the imperial cockade was worn on the front.   Tropical Shako with a blue Train hatband Photo by Kilimandscharo of the Kolonial Geschichte Forum taken at the Rastatt Museum       Equipment and Footwear Equipment was in grey leather and footwear in brown leather as described on the Winter Uniforms Page. Mosquito veils were also issued. 1904 Field Grey Summer Uniform Uniform In 1903 is was decided that the old khaki Summer uniform was to be replaced by a lightweight field grey uniform. Delays in production meant that the new Summer uniform was only introduced for the Summer of 1905, except for newly arrived officers and officials in the Summer of 1904. The new field grey Summer uniform was of the same cut as the 1904 Winter uniform.  It had a stand and fall collar, concealed front, plain turn back cuffs and two pleated breast pockets with pointed flaps. There were no hip pockets. The rear of the tunic had scalloped flaps with three yellow metal buttons bearing the imperial crown on either side. It was piped in red around the collar, front, cuffs and rear skirts. The shoulder straps were those worn on the Winter uniform. Rank and specialist insignia was as before.       Tropical Helmet Tropical helmets were now issued field grey. These new helmets were noticeably smaller in their overall dimensions than the 1900 and 1902 khaki helmets. They bore the same imperial eagle, imperial cockade on the right hand side and hatband in arm of service colours (see Arm of Service Details below). Surviving examples show that the shade of field grey for other ranks was more like the grey/green felt used on East Asian Pickelhaubes, while officers privately purchased examples may have varied even more with one (shown in "Tropenhelme der kaiserliche Marine, der Ostasiatischen Truppen und der Schutzruppen" by Ulrich Schiers) being a pale blue/grey. Peaked Cap The khaki cap was replaced with a similar peaked cap all in field grey. Like the previous officers version it had two small ventilation holes at the front, sides and rear, all with field grey metal grills. The cap was worn without the coloured hatband and piping worn in Winter months but with the imperial cockade on the front and small ventilation holes. I have so far found no references to or (or photographs of) neckshades being worn with the new field grey helmets and caps.   1904 Bortfeldt Helmet with a white Infantry hatband, this example has a white replacement eagle for its original yellow one. Photos © Private Collector               The Illustrations Figure 1 is based on a photograph of an NCO of the 4th (Saxon) Company of the 5th East Asian Infantry Regiment of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps taken in China in early 1901. The new uniform was introduced in February 1901 and the 5th Infantry Regiment was disbanded in May 1901, so this gives us a fairly accurate dating of the original photograph. This NCO wears the new 1900 khaki summer uniform with the NCO lace and button of a Sergeant on his collar. Note the East Asian rank chevron in imperial coloured lace just visible on his left arm. His shoulder straps are khaki, piped in white and with a red regimental number. The tropical helmet has a yellow metal imperial eagle, a white hatband for the infantry and a large imperial cockade on the right side. Note this cockade is worn above the hatband, whereas most were worn on the hatband. His trousers are worn loose over short brown leather boots. They were usually worn tucked into brown leather marching boots on active duty. The black leather belt and buckle is the old style worn by the Expeditionary Corps. The buckle would then presumably have had a Saxon crown surrounded by laurel leaves and the motto "Providentiae Memor". All Prussian, Bavarian and Saxon insignia was officially replaced by imperial insignia from February 1901. This NCO has no other Saxon cockades or insignia. Figure 2 is based on a photograph of the Standard Bearer of the 1st East Asian Infantry Regiment taken in China sometime between 1901-04. He is wearing the new 1900 khaki summer uniform. Note the NCO lace on the collar, and the standard bearer's shield insignia on the upper right arm (see Specialist Insignia Page). His cap is the new 1900 khaki field cap with grey peak, brown chinstrap and single imperial cockade. Note the two small ventilation grills visible on the side. He wears a grey leather belt and open buckle as authorised in 1901 and a long S98aA bayonet can just been seen hanging on the left side. Again, his trousers are worn loose over short brown leather boots. They were usually worn tucked into brown leather marching boots on active duty Figure 3 is based on a photograph of a Trooper of the East Asian Cavalry Squadron probably taken in the Summer of 1905 (the 1904 Summer Uniform was not introduced to the bulk of the East Asian Occupation Brigade until the Summer of 1905, and the Cavalry Squadron was disbanded in March 1906). The original photograph upon which this illustration is based may well have been taken at a photographic studio in Germany prior to setting sail for China. He wears the 1904 field grey Summer uniform, which as described above was in the same cut as the 1904 Winter uniform. Note the pleated upper pockets with pointed flaps and lack of hip pockets. His shoulder straps are piped red. Across his right breast is a marksmanship lanyard in imperial colours (see Specialist Insignia page). His helmet is the smaller 1904 field grey tropical helmet with a yellow metal imperial eagle and a red cavalry hatband. This trooper again wears his trousers loose over his brown leather riding boots with spurs. His equipment is the grey leather cavalry bandolier but without the ammunition pouches attached. His carries the other ranks 1901 East Asian Cavalry Sword (identical to the Prussian 1898 Cavalry Sword but with an imperial rather than a Prussian eagle on the hilt guard). His other ranks sword knot ("Faustriemen") has a white knot to denote the 1st Squadron (and in the case of the East Asian Cavalry from 1901-06, the only squadron).

Figure A Infantry	Figure B Cavalry	Figure C Artillery	Figure D Pioneers	Figure E Train	Figure F Medics

The illustrations above show the arm of service distinctions worn by the East Asian Occupation Brigade and its successor the East Asian Detachment on their 1900 khaki uniforms. Summer field caps (the 1900 khaki caps and the 1904 field grey caps) had no coloured hatbands or piping. The 1904 field grey Summer uniforms had the same coloured hatbands on their tropical helmets as shown here and the same shoulder strap insignia but with field grey straps.

Figure A shows the insignia worn by the East Asian Infantry Regiments, in this case the 1st East Asian Infantry Regiment ("1. Ostasiatische Infanterie Regiment"). The tropical helmet bore a yellow metal imperial eagle and a white hatband. Shoulder straps were khaki piped in white with the regimental number in red.

Figure B shows the insignia worn by the East Asian Cavalry Squadron ("Ostasiatische Eskadron Jäger zu Pferd"). The tropical helmet bore a yellow metal imperial eagle and a red hatband. Shoulder straps were khaki piped in red.

Figure C shows the insignia worn by the East Asian Artillery Detachment ("Ostasiatische Feld Artillerie Abteilung"). The tropical helmet bore a yellow metal imperial eagle and a black hatband with red edging. Shoulder straps were khaki piped in red with a red flaming grenade. 

Figure D shows the insignia worn by the East Asian Pioneer Company ("Ostasiatische Pionier-Kompanie"). The tropical helmet bore a white metal imperial eagle and a black hatband with red edging. Shoulder straps were khaki piped in piped in red with a stylised letter "P" in red.

Figure E shows the insignia worn by the East Asian Train Company ("Ostasiatische Train-Kompanie"). The train company wore a unique type of tropical helmet shaped like a Jäger shako with a yellow metal imperial eagle and a blue hatband. Shoulder straps were khaki, piped in blue. 

Figure F shows the insignia worn by the East Asian Medical Half Company ("Ostasiatische Sanitäts-Halbkompanie"). The tropical helmet bore a yellow metal imperial eagle and a dark blue hatband with red edging. Shoulder straps were khaki piped in dark blue. Officer doctors of the East Asian Medical unit wore standard officers shoulder straps with a brass rod of Asclepius badge.

East Asian Staff Officers wore the 1900 khaki uniform with a tropical helmet with a silver plated imperial eagle and a crimson hatband. The backing to their officers shoulder straps was also crimson.

East Asian General Officers wore the 1900 khaki uniform with a tropical helmet with a gold plated imperial eagle and a white hatband. The backing to their  shoulder straps also crimson. Like other officers, generals only wore Litzen on the collar and cuffs of the Gesellschaftsrock, not on the tropical uniform.

East Asian Non-Combatant Officials such as paymasters, armourers and veterinarians wore the same tropical uniforms as other East Asian Officers but with the insignia of Prussian army officials.

Other Disbanded Units of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps
The new uniforms and insignia were authorised in February 1901 although some of them may have been issued earlier. In May 1901 large parts of the original East Asian Expeditionary Corps (such as the 4th, 5th and 6th Infantry  Regiments, the Jäger Company and parts of the cavalry, artillery and other branches) were disbanded. It does seem though that these units (or at least some of them) did receive the new khaki uniforms albeit for only a short time. A period photograph (illustrated above) photo shows the 5th Infantry Regiment in the new khaki uniform with tropical helmets, though it can't been seen for certain, they presumably wear khaki shoulder boards with white piping a red number "5" on them.

The East Asian Jäger Company ("Ostasiatische Jäger Kompanie") was authorised to wear the 1900 tropical uniform with the same tropical shako as worn by the Train company but with a green hatband. The shoulder straps were piped green. It is not known if this uniform was actually issued before the Jäger Company was disbanded in May 1901. A surviving tropical Jäger shako with a green hatband) has been photographed in "Tropenhelme der kaiserliche Marine, der Ostasiatischen Truppen und der Schutzruppen" by Ulrich Schiers.

The East Asian Transport Troops ("Vekehrstruppen") were also authorised to wear the 1900 tropical uniform with a tropical helmet with a white metal eagle and a black hatband with red edging. Their shoulder straps were piped red with a yellow stylised E on them. One period photograph certainly shows men in the new khaki uniform with a stylised letter "E" on the shoulder strap (the usual insignia for "Eisenbahn" units in the imperial army). The Eisenbahn companies of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps were reduced from three to one in May 1901 and renamed the "Train" company with new insignia. Kraus and Müller say a yellow lightning bolt shoulder strap insignia was also used, though this may have been for the Telegraph troops. The Transport troops were disbanded in May 1901.

Photo Gallery

Reiter of the East Asian Cavalry Regiment This photograph taken in China, shows Reiter Emil Eduard Sawatzki of the East Asian Cavalry Regt ("Ostasiatische Reiter Regiment"). He wears the East Asian 1900 Khaki Uniform, consisting of a khaki tunic with a stand and fall collar, concealed buttons to fasten the front and two breast and two hip pockets, all with concealed fastenings. His shoulder straps are plain red for cavalry. This is curious as the February 1901 uniform regulations for the khaki uniform stated the shoulder straps for the cavalry were to be khaki piped in red. Full red shoulder straps such as these were authorised for the field grey uniform only. He wears matching khaki trousers tucked into high brown leather riding boots. He wears the 1900 Bortfeldt khaki tropical helmet with imperial eagle in yellow metal on the front and a red cavalry hatband. A large imperial cockade would be on the right hand side. Note the khaki neck shade. His equipment is the grey leather bandolier for mounted troops with ammunition pouches down the front and a grey leather belt. He is armed an East Asian other ranks cavalry sword and lance. The lance has the pennant in imperial colours. His carbine would usually be carried in a saddle bucket on the other side. Photo © Peter Klein

Musketier of the 3rd East Asian Infantry Regiment This is a posed studio photograph taken in China. It shows a private ("Musketier") of the 3rd East Asian Infantry Regt ("3. Ostasiatische Infanterie Regiment"). He wears the East Asian 1900 Khaki Uniform, consisting of a khaki tunic with a stand and fall collar, concealed buttons to fasten the front and two breast and two hip pockets, all with concealed fastenings. His shoulder straps are khaki with white piping and a red stylised regimental number 3 can be seen. He wears two medals on his left breast, the China Campaign Medal with its striped ribbon for service during the Boxer Rebellion 1900-01 and the Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal, awarded to all members of the Prussian army in 1897. It hangs on a yellow ribbon which appears darker in this photograph due to the orthochromatic film used at the time. He wears the Khaki field cap first introduced in the late Summer of 1900 to replace the straw hat, and worn with only the imperial cockade, as seen here, from February 1901. Photo © Karsten Herzogenrath

Mounted NCO of an East Asian Infantry Regiment He wears the East Asian 1900 Khaki Uniform, consisting of a khaki tunic with a stand and fall collar, concealed buttons to fasten the front and two breast and two hip pockets, all with concealed fastenings. NCO lace can be seen on the lower edge of the collar and he wears a marksmanship lanyard from his shoulder strap. He wears the 1900 Bortfeldt khaki tropical helmet with imperial eagle in yellow metal on the front and a white infantry hatband. A large imperial cockade can be seen on the right hand side. Photo © Joe Robinson

NCOs of the 5th East Asian Infantry Regiment, Tientsin May 1901
They wear the 1900 Summer uniform with Bortfeldt tropical helmets and white hatbands for the infantry. These men all have NCO collar lace and the single chevron on the left arm. The two in the centre are senior NCOs as shown by them being armed with swords rather than the S98 bayonets carried by the rest of the group.
Photo © Jérôme Discours at Military Photos

East Asian Infantry on the march, Peking 1902
These men wear the East Asian 1900 Khaki Uniform, consisting of a khaki tunic with a stand and fall collar, concealed buttons to fasten the front and two breast and two hip pockets, all with concealed fastenings. NCO lace can be seen on the lower edge of the collar of the three in the foreground. They wear the 1900 Bortfeldt khaki tropical helmet with imperial eagle in yellow metal on the front and a white infantry hatband. They are armed with Gew98 rifles. Curiously, they still have their old ammunition pouches before the new East Asian equipment was issued.
Photo  by CH Graves from the American Library of Congress

Soldiers of the East Asian Infantry with Chinese Children
They wear the noticeably smaller 1904 Tropical Helmets. These were field grey with white hatbands for infantry and yellow metal Imperial eagles. The large imperial cockade on the right hand side of the helmet can be clearly seen on the helmet in the bottom right of the photo.
Photo from Bundesarchiv / Wikimedia

Group of International Soldiers and Sailors in China
On the far left of the photo is a German NCO wearing the 1904 uniform with the smaller tropical helmet with a white infantry hatband. From the collar and cuff lace, we see he is an NCO. The sword shows his rank as a either Vize-Feldwebel or Feldwebel.
Photo © Jérôme Discours at Military Photos

Main Sources
"Uniformierung und Austrüstung der Ostasiatischen Truppen des Deutschen Reiches 1900-1909" by Jürgen Kraus in Zeitschrift für Heereskunde Nos 382 and 389 (unsure of last edition number)
"Tropenhelme der kaiserliche Marine, der Ostasiatischen Truppen und der Schutzruppen" by Ulrich Schiers, published by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Heereskunde
"The German Colonial Troops 1889-1918" by Jürgen Kraus and Thomas Müller
"Die deutsche Armee"-  illustrated plates by Moritz Ruhl
"Deutsche Expeditionstruppen und Schutztruppen"- illustrated plates by Edgar Graf von Matuschka