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This is a faded studio
photograph probably taken
in Germany during the 1880s. It shows a sailor ("Matrose") named
Miclaw of the Imperial Naval Artillery.
He wears standard German
naval uniform as worn by other ranks from the 1870's until 1918. He
has a dark blue woollen cap (see right) with an imperial cockade and
black cap tally with a gold inscription- "KAISERL. MATR. ARTILLERIE",
abbreviated from "Kaiserliche Matrosen Artillerie" or Imperial
Sailors Artillery.
His shirt is the blue
woollen winter naval top ("Wollenes
Hemd" or woollen shirt) with removable naval collar in a lighter
shade of blue with three white stripes (see right). The collar is
tucked into a black neckerchief at the front, tied with white cord. He
would almost certainly have been wearing matching dark blue trousers
worn loose over black boots.
Matrose Miclaw
- Very little is known about this sailor, except that he was Latvian
and his surname was Miklaw or Miklavs. All that is known has come from
his Great Great Granddaughter, Laura Rowe. Her Great Grandfather,
Matrose Miklaw's son, was born Robert Theodore Miklaw in Riga, Latvia
on 21st February 1885. Robert emigrated to America as a young man,
himself deserting from a naval vessel (possibly German or Russian).
If you can help find any
more information on Matrose Miklaw please email me here.
Please respect the
generosity of
Laura Rowe in sharing this photograph with us by not reproducing it
without prior permission.
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