Cameroon Schutztruppe German NCOs

 
     
 

 
 

Photo supplied by John Falcon

 
 

This is a photograph of three German Schutztruppe NCOs posing with local women taken in Cameroon in 1912. The figure in the centre has been identified as Unteroffizier Heinrich Hautmann (1884-1965), the others remain unknown.

Their appearance is typical of the Cameroon Schutztruppe from the late 1890s onwards when not on active service. All three NCOs wear the 1896 white tropical uniform of the Schutztruppe piped in blue (most visible on the figure on the left). Two of the NCOs wear white tropical helmets, while the figure on the left wears a grey peaked field cap with hatband and piping in red (for Cameroon) and a small imperial cockade on the front. A single chevron (in white metallic lace edged in blue- see NCO Rank Insignia Page) denoting him as an Unteroffizier can been seen on Hautmann's left arm. Trousers and shoes are matching white.

Please respect the generosity of John Falcon in sharing this photograph with us by not reproducing it without prior permission. 

 
     
 
Please contact me here if you have other photographs of the German colonies or the soldiers and sailors that served there. I am especially keen to hear from people with family photograph collections and am always happy to try to assist in identifying uniforms, units, places and dates for family history research.

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