The Illustrations
Figure 1 is based on a photograph of a
German Artilleryman of the Asienkorps taken in Palestine in 1918. Although the
Asienkorps were issued a khaki khaki tropical
uniform, they also brought their field grey uniforms with them for wear during
cold weather. Due to the khaki uniform's similarity to enemy
uniforms and other impracticalities in wear and issue, during 1918 it was
largely replaced by standard European issue field grey for all ranks.
This artilleryman is dressed the same as he would have been on the Western
Front in 1918. He wears a peakless other ranks field cap with a field grey band worn over the
coloured hatband so as to be
less conspicuous. His wears a standard German 1915 tunic with the shoulder straps
removed, again to be less obvious to snipers but also so as not to give away
unit information in the event of capture. He wears standard slate grey
trousers (possibly with red piping) and field grey puttees with black ankle boots.
His
equipment is a blackened leather belt with a painted grey army belt buckle (although
these were originally issued with state emblems on them, most
were issued in standard Prussian design by this late stage in the war
irrespective of the unit's state origin). He is armed with a Mauser
K98az Carbine.
Figure 2 is based on a photograph of a
German Officer taken in the Ottoman Empire probably around 1916. He wears an Ottoman officers' lambs wool Kalpak (see
Ottoman Uniforms)
along with a privately tailored German 1910 officers' tunic. The 1910
infantry tunic had eight buttons down the front and hip pockets only.
Three buttoned Brandenburg cuffs were worn by most infantry regiments
piped in red. His darker
collar (seemingly without the standard red piping) is a variation due to
private tailoring. His rank is again shown on the braided shoulder straps. On his right breast he wears the Ottoman "Halbmond"
war medal (see Medals Details Page),
on his left breast he has a small strip of medals worn as miniature
ribbons, below that he wears another medal that is difficult to see in
the original photograph but is most likely an Iron Cross first class,
while he has the Iron Cross second class worn in his second buttonhole.
His trousers are of the noticeably lighter slate grey shade while his
footwear cannot be seen in the original photograph.
Figure 3 is based on a photograph of a
German NCO, Unteroffizier of the Asienkorps taken in Palestine in about
1917. He wears a combination of the Asienkorps tropical uniform's field cap and
trousers, while wearing the field grey modified M1910 tunic as worn on
European fronts. He wears field grey puttees with black ankle boots. From the
original black and white photograph the NCOs unit cannot be made out so the
piping, shoulder strap and buttons colours are specualtive.
Figure 4 is based on a photograph of a
German Artillery Officer of the Asienkorps taken in Palestine in about 1917.
This officer is again wearing the same uniform as he would have worn on the
Western front. He wears an officer's peaked field cap in field grey
with hatband in arm-of-service colours (in this case black edged with red for
the artillery) and an imperial (black/white/red) cockade above a state cockade
(in this case black/white/black for Prussia). He wears an officer's field grey
double-breasted 1915 "Kleiner Rock" Litewka tunic (again with collar patches and piping in
arm-of-service colours) and an Iron Cross second class in his second buttonhole.
Officers uniforms often being privately tailored varied in shade, many being
paler and less green than standard issue field grey. Rank is displayed on the braided shoulder straps. He wears field grey riding
breeches and black leather gaiters and ankle boots. |