Junior NCOs (Matrosen Division) navy blue woollen short walking out jacket : SMS Emden, Kaiserliche Marine

German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) Junior NCO's (Matrosen Division) navy blue superfine short walking out jacket with rank insignia of maat (ship's mate). This double breasted jacket has lapels with a single button hole in each. It has two vertical opposing rows of nine gilt brass buttons that bear the king's crown above an anchor on the front, and 'ASSMANN & SOHNE, LUDENSCHEID / K.D.M.' on the back. An extra pair of linked buttons has been provided, to enable the front to be loosely fastened. There are six buttons on the Brandenburg cuffs and NCO's woven gold lace rank insignia. A large brass anchor badge of the type worn by the maat rank is fitted to the upper left sleeve. It is missing one of the devices, such as a fouled rope or ship's wheel, that is usually superimposed on the anchor to indicate the trade of the wearer. On both sleeves there is a row of strange remnant stitches. They are above and below a horizontal crease near the elbow. 'B.A.K. / 13 10 05 / 2.' has been stencilled in red paint in the middle of the black cotton drill lining. This has been overwritten by another stencil 'I M 9 / 126 / K'. 'II A 8 / 89 7 K' has been hand painted in red below the two stencilled markings. A pocket with a slit opening has been let into the lining of the left front panel. The sleeves are also lined with black cotton.

Taken from the ship's store in SMS Emden after she was defeated by HMAS Sydney off the Cocos Keeling Islands in November 1914.