German Polizeitruppe, 1914

Deployment of German Colonial Police Forces, May 1914

German Polizeitruppen in the colonies were established under the direct supervision of the civillian authorities there, with the exception of the "Chinesen-Polizei" which served under the Kiautschou Gouvernement.

The figures shown here are Airfix Japanese infantry, converted to German East-African Polizei-Askari. The steel helmet has been carved into a pillbox cap. Other Japanese figures wearing a field cap with neck flap may be converted in a similar fashion. The advantage of using the Airfix Japanese figures is that they already wear the proper type of puttie. The Matchbox Japanese figure set will be useful as well, it contains machine gunners and several kneeling figures which may be converted to assistant machine gunners.

The khaki police uniform with field grey putties, brown shoes and leather pouches is the same as that worn by Schutztruppe askari soldiers, with the addition of a white oval badge above the left elbow with a red letter P (Polizei). Rank was indicated by a perfectly triangular khaki badge on the upper arm, one point down, with one to four red chevrons inside: Gefreiter (senior private), Unteroffizier or Sergeant (corporal), Vizefeldwebel or Vizewachtmeister in mounted units (sergeant), Feldwebel or Wachtmeister in mounted units (sergeant major). Togo Polizei soldiers wore a similar uniform, but they had a much lower cap, not unlike a 1813 Prussian Landwehr Schirmmütze with the visor removed, red with a black tassel in the rear, no putties and bare feet.

Deutsch-Ostafrika, May 1914

4 Offiziere
61 Polizeiwachtmeister (German police sergeants)
147 Unteroffiziere (native police corporals)
1863 Askari (native paramilitary police)
Knüppel-Askari (assistant native police)

Deutsch-Südwestafrika, May 1914

7 Offiziere
9 Köpfe Verwaltung (administrative employees)
68 Polizeiwachtmeister (German police sergeants)
432 Polizeisergeanten (police corporals)
50 Vertragspolizisten (warrant constables)
black Polizeidiener (assistant native police)

Kamerun, May 1914

4 Offiziere
37 Köpfe weißes Personal (white administrative employees)
1255 Mann (other ranks)
Zoll (customs officers)

Togo, May 1914

2 Offiziere
? Polizeimeister (German police sergeants)
530 black Soldaten (native paramilitary police)

Südsee, May 1914

Deutsch-Neuguinea
- 19 Polizeimeister (German police sergeants)
- 670 black Polizisten (native paramilitary police)
Deutsch-Samoa
- 1 Polizeimeister (German police sergeants)
- 30 Fita-Fita (native paramilitary police)
- 20-25 Landespolizisten (native rural police)

Kiautschou, May 1914

Europäischer Stab (European Staff)
60 Chinesen (native police)

For a list of other German forces in the colonies, please refer to Marine and Schutztruppe.

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World War One Miniatures