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The Shanghai Volunteer Corps at
Tsingtao 1914
Photo from the
Library of Congress Collection
This is a very curious photograph. I
first saw it published in "Die Deutsche Schutztruppe 1889/1918" by Werner Haupt
captioned as men of the Tsingtau Landsturm in 1914. This version of the same photograph from
the US Library of Congress has it captioned as "Defenders of Tsingtau".
One would expect these men then to wear the uniforms of the III. Seebataillon. A closer inspection of their
uniforms and equipment show that they were clearly not equipped at Tsingtao.
They are armed with the British Lee Metford Mark II
rifle and have British 1903 Bandolier Equipment. While their tunics are of German
cut with eight buttons down the front, pointed cuffs and German styled shoulder straps
(with a crowned "H" monogram),
they are probably made from British or Australian dark khaki. Their field caps look
British but have a
German imperial cockade above an eight pointed star badge with a scroll
underlining it (see close up below). These are the uniforms of the German
company of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps. The star cap badge is the international
SVC badge and the "H" monogram on the shoulder strap is that of the German "Prinz
Heinrich" company.
If this photograph was in fact taken
at Tsingtao in 1914 these men must be some of those that made
the trek from Shanghai to Tsingtao from the SVC to enlist as reservists for the
defence of Tsingtao on the outbreak of the First World War. At least 40 Germans
of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps are known to have served at the Siege of
Tsingtao. They are mentioned as Prisoners of War in the diary of Paul Beushausen
as having served in the 7. Kompagnie of the III. Seebataillon, a wartime formed
unit of reservists and volunteers. It is not recorded if these men were
re-equipped with Seebataillon uniforms and weapons at some stage or if they
served as seen here in their Shanghai uniforms with British rifles.
Recommended Links
Our own page on the Shanghai Volunteer Corps
Tsingtau Info
The Diary of
Paul Beushausen who mentions the SVC at Tsingtao
The Story of Wilhelm Meller an SVC soldier who served at Tsingtao
An article on
Lee
Metford Rifles on
Military Rifles
An article on
British 1903 Bandoliers at
Karkee Web
This photo is discussed on the
Pickelhaubes Forum
Thanks to
Hans-Joachim Schmidt of the excellent
Tsingtau Info website
for his help on this topic.
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Close Up of an NCO
Note the Imperial German cockade on the cap, the German NCOs large
collar button and the British Rifle, Bandoliers and bayonet.
Close Up of a Volunteer
Note the SVC badge on the cap, the clear view of the Bandoliers and
Lee-Metford rifle and the monogram of Prinz Heinrich of Prussia on the shoulder strap.
Close Up of a Volunteer
Again note the SVC badge on the cap, the clear view of the Bandoliers and
the monogrammed shoulder strap insignia.
All photographs from the
Library of Congress Collection
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