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Photo © Karsten Herzogenrath
This is a posed photograph taken in Berlin, Germany in the Summer of
1900, prior to the deployment of the Expeditionary Corps to China. It
shows Hilfshobist
Franz Weigelt of the 1st Prussian Company of the 1st Battalion, 3rd
East Asian Infantry Regt ("3.
Ostasiatische Infanterie Regiment") carrying a long oboe.
He wears the
East Asian Expeditionary Corps Khaki Uniform,
consisting of a dyed yellowish-khaki tunic ("Drillichrock")
with a standing collar, six buttons to fasten the front, one left
breast pocket and two hip pockets. His shoulder straps are white and a
red stylised regimental number 3 can clearly be seen. His status as a
musician is shown by the coloured swallows nests on his shoulder,
while his rank as a
Hilfshobist (equivalent to
a Gefreiter or Lance Corporal) can be determined from the button on
his collar, just above the shoulder strap
(see close up below).
The button would have carried a Prussian eagle emblem.
He wears the straw hat
which was standard summer wear for the first batch of the
Expeditionary Corps to be sent to China. It is held up on the left hand side with a
large imperial cockade above a smaller
black/white/black Prussian cockade. The straw hat was supposed to be
worn like the Schutztruppe Sudewester, held up on the right hand side,
although it is not uncommon to see soldiers wearing theirs the wrong
way around. Note the white band around the base of the hat to denote
the 1st company of an infantry battalion. Note also the adjustable
leather chinstrap.
His yellow-khaki trousers
are worn loose over black leather marching boots. He carries full
marching order equipment including a backpack with tent section
wrapped around the top and sides as can clearly be seen. The equipment
is in black leather with a belt buckle bearing the
Prussian crown and the motto "Gott Mit Uns". A long S98 bayonet
can be seen at his left side. He has leather pouch on the right side
of his belt which cannot be seen clearly enough to positively identify
it. It may possibly be a pistol holster or perhaps cleaning equipment
for his woodwind instrument.
Franz Weigelt - A cutting attached to the photograph identifies
this soldier as Franz Weigelt from Niederwürschnitz near Chemnitz in
the Kingdom of Saxony. Prior to his enlistment in the 3rd East Asian
Infantry Regiment he served in the 1st Company of the 3rd Prussian
Foot Guards ("3. Garde-Regiment zu
Fuß") based in
Berlin.
Detail of the same Photograph
Please respect the
generosity of Karsten Herzogenrath in sharing this photograph with us by not reproducing it
without prior permission. |
