Mounted Marine Infantry and Artillery
Uniform Variations for Mounted Personnel of the III. Seebataillon in China


Figure 1
Musician NCO
5. Kompanie III. Seebataillon
Tsingtao c1910

Figure 2
Seesoldat
5. Kompanie III. Seebataillon
Tsingtao c1900

Figure 3
Musician NCO
5. Kompanie III. Seebataillon
Tsingtao c1910

Figure 4
Officer
Marine Feld Batterie, III. Seebataillon
Tsingtao c1914
         

Mounted Personnel of the Marine infantry
Officers of the Marine Infantry were often mounted. Two units of the III. Seebataillon based at Tsingtao were also mounted: the 5th Company and the drivers of the marine field artillery battery. Both units were usually mounted on Chinese ponies rather than imported horses. The field artillery used mules to pull their guns and limbers.

5th Mounted Company
The 5th Company  of the III. Seebataillon was organised as mounted infantry. It was first formed as a mounted detachment in 1900, later named the 5. berittene Kompanie.

As there were no mounted infantry units of the Imperial Army in Germany (they had clearly defined mounted cavalry and dismounted infantry only), there was no precedent upon which to base their uniforms.  The mounted company of the III. Seebataillon wore some items of mounted uniform (such as riding breeches) but maintained other infantry items (for example they carried full length rifles rather than cavalry carbines).

The 5th Mounted Company were the first German troops to clash with the Japanese in the opening stages of the Siege of Tsingtao in 1914. Their mounted patrols fought skirmishes with enemy troops soon after they had landed on the Shantung Peninsular.

Marine Field Artillery Battery
The field artillery battery (Marine Feld Batterie) attached to the III. Seebataillon was a horse artillery unit formed on 4 December 1898.

The Field Artillery wore the same variations on their uniforms as the field artillery of the Imperial Army: the drivers of the unit were mounted and carried a carbine, the gunners were dismounted and carried the rifle

Uniforms
Both the mounted infantry and drivers of the field artillery (and occasional mounted officers of the other Seebataillon units) wore the same Peacetime Dark Blue, Litewka and Tropical uniforms as the dismounted troops (except that the khaki tropical tunic of the mounted troops had two brass retaining buttons on the rear to support the belt). They wore the same headdress as the dismounted troops- black leather shakos, tropical helmets and dark blue field caps. The most notable variations for mounted troops came in their riding breeches, riding boots or gaiters, equipment and weaponry.

Two items of Specialist Insignia only worn by mounted troops were worn by the mounted company and field of the field artillery, namely the farrier badge of a horse shoe of the lower left arm and the trumpeter's sloped bars on the swallows nest worn on the shoulder.

It should be noted that the Marine Field Battery were further distinguished by having red (rather than yellow) insignia on their shoulder straps with a flaming grenade superimposed on the usual crossed anchors.

Riding Breeches
Mounted Officers-
wore privately purchased riding breeches in both dark blue and khaki.

5th Mounted Company- wore dark blue riding breeches in place of straight trousers. They were made of the same cloth but did not have the white piping of the infantry trousers (dark blue corduroy breeches were also issued). The inside leg reinforcement was dark blue cloth for the mounted company. Khaki riding breeches were worn with the tropical uniform and from 1911 stocks of Schutztruppe Grey/Brown Corduroy riding breeches were also issued to the mounted company.

Drivers of the Marine Field Battery- wore dark blue riding breeches in place of straight trousers. They were made of the same cloth but did not have the white piping of the infantry trousers (dark blue corduroy breeches were also issued). The inside leg reinforcement was  black leather for drivers of the field artillery. Khaki riding breeches were worn with the tropical uniform.

Gunners of the Marine Field Battery- wore dark blue or khaki infantry trousers, the dark blue trousers having a line of white piping down the outside seam as worn by all dismounted troops of the Marine Infantry.

Boots
Mounted Officers- wore privately purchased riding boots or leather gaiters over short boots.

5th Mounted Company- wore brown leather riding boots, or often riding gaiters with short boots.

Drivers of the Marine Field Battery- wore brown leather riding boots.

Gunners of the Marine Field Battery- wore brown leather infantry boots.

Equipment

Mounted Officers- like their dismounted colleagues usually carried very little equipment, usually simply the officers silk belt with imperial coloured lace and officers Marine Infantry belt buckle.

5th Mounted Company- wore a unique shoulder bandolier with three ammunition pouches across the chest and three on the back. They also wore the infantry belt and other ranks Marine Infantry belt buckle.

Drivers of the Marine Field Battery- wore a shoulder bandolier with a single box cartridge pouch on the back. They wore a cavalry belt with an open buckle.

Gunners of the Marine Field Battery- wore the same equipment and ammunition pouches as the dismounted troops in the Marine Infantry.

Weapons
Mounted Officers- as with dismounted officers, they were authorised to carry a sword and pistol.

5th Mounted Company- carried the infantry Gew98 rifle (and before that the Gew88) with a bayonet.

Drivers of the Marine Field Battery- carried the carbine, rather than full length rifle and also the curved Prussian army artillery sword.

Gunners of the Marine Field Battery- carried the infantry Gew98 rifle (and before that the Gew88) with a bayonet.

     
 

Illustrations

Figure 1 is based on a photograph of a Mounted NCO Musician of the 5. Kompagnie, III. Seebataillon taken in Tsingtao in the early 20th century. He wears the standard Marine Infantry shako (partially obscured by its parade plume in red for musicians), and an 1867 dark grey, cavalry length greatcoat- the Seebataillon all wore mounted cavalry greatcoats, whether mounted or not. Note the white collar patches with yellow Litzen.

Figure 2 is based on a photograph of a Mounted Seesoldat of the 5. Kompagnie, III. Seebataillon taken in Tsingtao in the early 20th century. He wears the standard Marine Infantry dark blue Litewka tunic and field cap. He wears standard Marine infantry trousers with a white stripe down the outside seam. Note the ammunition pouches over the shoulder, mounted gaiters and G98 rifle slung in the gun bucket.

Figure 3 is based on a photograph of a Mounted Musician NCO of the 5. Kompagnie, III. Seebataillon taken in Tsingtao in the early 20th century. He wears the standard Marine Infantry grey Litewka tunic, with NCO lace on the collar and musicians' swallows netst and the NCOs peaked field cap. He wears dark blue riding breeches without the white stripe down the outside seam. Note the S98/05 bayonet to his side with NCO knot.

Figure 4 is based on a photograph of an Officer of the Marine Feld Batterie of the III. Seebataillon taken in Tsingtao in about 1914. He wears the khaki tropical uniform with the Bortfeldt tropical helmet with no distinguishing insignia, except having two buttons on the rear of the tunic (the normal Seebataillon khaki tunic had a plain back) and wearing riding breeches and riding boots Officers uniforms and boots were usually privately tailored and therefore of better quality and sometimes varied in details such as having a higher collar.

 
     

 

 


Seesoldat of the 5th Mounted Company of the III Seebataillon
He wears the khaki field cap with neck shade. His tunic and trousers are the marine infantry khaki standard issue. Across his chest he wears the mounted company's ammunition bandolier. The caption of this photograph says it was taken in 1903.
Photograph from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons


Seesoldat of the 5th Mounted Company of the III Seebataillon
He wears the dark blue peacetime uniform with Jäger style shako and black parade plume. Note the lack of white piping on the riding breeches, the ammunition pouches across the chest and the rifle bucket for a Gew98.
Photograph from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons


Sergeant of the Marine Field Battery of the III Seebataillon
He wears the dark blue peacetime uniform with Jäger style shako. Note the lack of white piping on the riding breeches, riding boots, the cross belt with a single cartouche pouch on the back. He is armed with a Gew98 held in a long rifle bucket and has a curved artillery sword just visible here.
Photograph from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons


Unteroffizier of the Marine Feld Batterie
He wears the khaki tropical uniform with Bortfeldt tropical helmet. Note the khaki riding breeches, riding boots, the a single cartouche pouch on the back and the curved artillery sword just visible here.
Photograph from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons


Mounted Officer of the III. Seebataillon
Infantry officer mounted, according to the caption this photograph was taken during the siege of Tsingtao in 1914 as German troops moved to the outer defences of the city.
Photograph from Gutenberg Project  / WikiCommons

 

Summary of the Uniform, Equipment and Weaponry Variations of Mounted Officers, the 5th Mounted Company and the the Marine Field Artillery
  Edged Weapon Firearm Trousers Boots Belt Buckle Ammunition Pouches
             
 Mounted Officers Naval Sword Pistol Riding Breeches Riding boots Officers Single Pouch
 5th Mounted Company Bayonet Rifle Riding Breeches Riding Boots/Gaiters Infantry Bandolier
 Field Artillery Drivers Artillery Sword Carbine Riding Breeches Riding Boots Open Mounted Cartouche
 Field Artillery Gunners Bayonet Rifle Infantry Trousers Infantry Boots Infantry Infantry
     
 

Photo Gallery


Seesoldat of the 5th Mounted Company of the III Seebataillon
He wears the khaki field cap with an imperial cockade at the front and leather peak. His tunic is the marine infantry khaki standard issue. In this photo it is not clear if he has removed his shoulder straps. He wears dark blue riding breeches (note they have no white piping as the dismounted Marine Infantry trousers did. He has ankle boots and gaiters and is armed with a Gew88 rifle (without rifle bucket) and has a naval short sword hung from his saddle as a side arm. The Gew88 dates this photograph probably prior to the Boxer Rebellion. It is possible that rifle buckets were introduced after this date and short swords later done away with.
Photo © Sam Wouters


Driver of the Marine Field Battery of the III Seebataillon
He wears the dark blue peacetime uniform with Jäger style shako. Note the lack of white piping on the riding breeches, riding boots, the cross belt with a single cartouche pouch on the back, just visible here and the distinctive curved artillery sword.
Photo © Doppler Collection


Patrol of the 5th Mounted Company of the III. Seebataillon
They wear the khaki tropical uniform and 1900 Bortfeldt tropical helmets.
Photograph from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons


Dismounted Patrol of the 5th Mounted Company of the III. Seebataillon
They wear the khaki tropical uniform and 1900 Bortfeldt tropical helmets.
Photograph from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons


Marine Field Battery on the beach at Tsingtao
They wear the 1893 Dark Blue Litewka while the officer or senior NCO in the centre wears an 1895 officers grey Litewka. They all wear blue field caps with white hatbands, the central figure having a peaked cap. Note the long eared mules pulling the limbers.
Photograph from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons


Marine Field Battery on the march
They wear the khaki tropical uniform and 1900 Bortfeldt tropical helmets. Note the mules pulling the gun limber on the right hand side of the photograph.
Photo © Doppler Collection


Marine Field Battery on the march
They wear the khaki tropical uniform and 1900 Bortfeldt tropical helmets. Again note the mules on the right hand side of the photograph.
Photograph from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons

 
     


Special Thanks to Xavier Orthlieb for his help on this page.

Please contact me here if you have more information or photos on this topic. 

Back to Main Menu for German Colonial Uniforms