A nice picture of the Boxer war with questions

[Karstenh83]

Hello,

I get this nice picture, which shows a group of german soldiers and a chinese soldier. Unfortunately there are no notices on the backside of the photos but I think the pictures were taken in the Boxer War or in the period of 1901 and 1903. Nice to see the different uniforms and headgears.

But who is that chinese guy? Is he a member of the chinese company, which was stationary in Kiautschou? Or is he a member of the imperial chinese army?? But the jacket has for me a very german style. Look at the rank effect on his left arm. But I have to say that I´m not an expert of uniforms, by that I´m searching for help/answers.

All the best

Karsten





and a close up of the chinese guy

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[Chris Dale]

Karsten that's amazing! Thank you so much for showing us that photo, it's so rare to find good new photos of the Chinese company or Police... and this one's great!

I'm reasonably sure that he's not from the regular Chinese army. The photos and pictures I've seen of them show them usually wearing peaked caps, not turbans. There are several photos of German Chinese troops wearing turbans, also as you say that rank chevron looks very German.... and of course it would be very unusual to find a Chinese soldier in the compnay of German soldiers like this.

Of course it's very difficult to identify the uniform correctly because the Chinese Companies and Police seem to have worn such a variety of uniforms. I would guess this guy is from one of the Chinese Companies, because the police force was in Tsingtao and Tsingtao was garisoned by the III. Seebatallion, and these Germans are not from the III. Seebatallion. The Germans look like they're from either the East Asian Expeditionary Corps or the East Asian Occupation Brigade. From their uniforms I would say the photo was taken between 1901 (when these khaki uniforms with concelaled buttons were introduced) and 1909 (when the East Asian Occupation troops were finally withdrawn). As you say it is probably from the earlier part of this time scale...

His turban looks like those issued to the Tsingtao police, as does his tunic and the Chinese boots have also been seen on Tsingtao police. The chevron is curious, it looks like it might be three colours. NCO rank in the Tsingtao police was usually shown in bars on the cuff from what I've seen. The waist sash is also curious....

A very curious photo all round, thank you again for posting it. Have any other readers got any more ideas on it?

Cheers
Chris

[Nie-junmen]

But who is that chinese guy? Is he a member of the chinese company, which was stationary in Kiautschou? Or is he a member of the imperial chinese army?? But the jacket has for me a very german style. Look at the rank effect on his left arm.

a close up of the chinese guy

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He might be of Qing Imperial troops, in new style uniform. Pay attention on the boots - these boots were standartly issued only for Imperial troops.

After 1895 Chinese troops gradually began to receive new German-styled uniform, but the process was very slow and even fantasy mixtures of old and new unforms occured.

Regarding the headgear - Qing soldiers worn turbans in 70% of cases, as depicted on old photos.

[Chris Dale]

Thanks Nie-junmen for your helpful comments.

I have also seen the German/Chinese Tsingtao Polizeitruppe wearing these warm lined boots before. Also his arm chevron, looks like it might be in Imperial German colours and similar chevrons were worn by the German forces in China.

Do you know of similar chevrons worn by the Chinese army?

Cheers
Chris

[Cristiano de S.O Campos]

Hi friends


I believe he was a member of Tsingtau police...


In these plate the chinese with chevron is identified to Feldwebel rank.. number 2.

i know some photos the german seebatailon feldwebel wearing chevrons in Litewka..


this is my clue

Cheers

Cristiano

[Chris Dale]

He could well be Tsingtao police... I think he may be some kind of German commanded police but I do not think his chevron is the same as that in the illustration. He has a single chevron in the photo, It looks like it might be in imperial colours. The illustration show three (or four) yellow chevrons tightly together- just like the III Seebataillon wore on their Litewkas.

Cheers
Chris

[Timm Haasler]

Dear all,

I'm not so certain that we see a Chinese policeman in German service. Please compare his uniform with those shown in the attached picture. The picture is showing part of the crew of the German policeboat "Tsimo" in Tsingtao harbor.

Regards
Timm

[HFK]

Hello , I am more interested in the dog than in the uniform. Looks like a Borzoi.