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This is a photograph
taken on board the SMS Goeben in about 1914. It shows a sailor
("Matrose") named Heinrich Wewers.
He wears standard
German naval uniform as worn by other ranks from the 1890's
until 1918. He has a dark blue woollen cap (see right) with an
imperial cockade and black cap tally with a yellow (or white)
metallic inscription showing the name of his ship- "S.M.S.
GOEBEN". 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. His trousers are from the lightweight white
summer uniform.
Heinrich
Wewers (1884-1972) was a
sailor by trade, working on merchant vessels both before and
after the First World War. When the war broke out he was living
in Rotterdam and returned to Germany to re-enlist. From this
photograph it appears he joined the crew of the SMS Goeben,
which served in the Ottoman navy operating mostly in the Black
sea against the Russian navy. He emigrated to America in 1922
while working on a steamship line.
Please respect the
generosity of Heinrich Wewers' grandson, Jeff Wewers in sharing
this photograph with us by not reproducing it without prior
permission. |
