The Kriegsmarine Uniforms
- Mates and men -
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In the Kriegsmarine the uniforms for mates and men
are the same. The service-suit contains the following parts: a jacket, a pair of trousers, a white and a blue shirt, the shirtcollar with three stripes, a silk neckerchief, grey gloves and a cap. The ranks are displayed by golden badges at the left sleeve. The picture on the left shows a "Matrosenstabsgefreiter" (leading seaman naval) waering his parade uniform. The picture on the right shows a "Matrose" (ordinary seaman) wearing his blue service-suit. |
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At the jacket, called by the designer
"Collani", the ranks additionaly were
displayed by blue plates at the collar too.
The picture on the left shows a "Bootsmannsmaat" (mate boatswain),wearing his jacket and a "Schiffchen", the forage cap. The forage cap was weared by all other ranks too. The picture on the right shows one of the many special dresses used by the Kriegsmarine, the "U-Boot-Päckchen" (U-Boat battle dress), made of leather. The man is newly decorated by the Iron Cross 2nd class. |
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This picture shows an "Obermaschinenmaat"
(senior machine operator mate) wearing his "Paradejacke" (parade-jacket). This jacket was a part of his walking-out-dress and was similar to the officers "Messejacke" (mess-jacket). The shirtcollar was weared outside. At the left sleeve the rank and a special education badge is displayed. From the right shoulder to the third button the figur wears the "Schützenschnur" a cord that was awarded for excellent shooting results. |
The blue shirt and cap were worn from October 1. to April 19. The white ones during the rest of the year. During the war years only the blue caps were worn.
Before the war the cap-ribbon displayed the name of the unit, where the men serves. For security reasons at the beginning of the war all ribbons displayed the word "Kriegsmarine".
Here are the two kinds of caps:
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cap for mates an men. |
Examples of various uniforms:
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Paradeanzug Oberbootsmannsmaat als Fahnenträger (Parade-suit senior mate boatswain, as carrier of a flag) |
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Dienstanzug Signalmaat Oberfeldwebelanwärter im Flottenkommando (Service-suit of a senior signal mate seargent aspirant, serving at the supreme navy headquarter) |
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Ausgehanzug Matrosengefreiter
(Walking out suit of a naval corporal) |
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Feldanzug Matrose
(Field-dress of an ordinary seaman) |