Heer converted tropical cap

[Gustav 43]

A nice been there 42 dated Army cap converted to LW.South African vet bring back according the info I have.If this one could talk...
Hope you like it

[Tim O'Keefe]

Really need to see more photos of this interesting cap

[Gustav 43]

here some more pics

[Gustav 43]

inside

[RGD51]

Lots of character for sure. Nice to see a later one that saw some service.

Robt.

[90th Light]

Rare maker, I do not think I have seen that maker before. And 1942 dated sweatband model rather than 1943 dated

I think they call that type of material "Serge" and I am told it is from captured French stocks. Often seen on billed tropical caps dated 1940 and 1941.

Ton of character, no way of knowing exactly when the LW eagle was put on. However, given the nature/ stitching of the field repair. Every chance it was used by an LW soldier in Afrika.

Hard to say if the tropical cockade is original to the cap based on images alone. The stitching does not look replaced but it shows an incredible amount of wear. May-be moths/ bugs or goggles ?

Chris

p.s. is the "Serge" twill a tan or green hue in colour ?

[Willi Z.]

Gustav, congrats on yet another nice pickup.

[NZMark]

Rare maker, I do not think I have seen that maker before. And 1942 dated sweatband model rather than 1943 dated

I think they call that type of material "Serge" and I am told it is from captured French stocks. Often seen on billed tropical caps dated 1940 and 1941.

Ton of character, no way of knowing exactly when the LW eagle was put on. However, given the nature/ stitching of the field repair. Every chance it was used by an LW soldier in Afrika.

Hard to say if the tropical cockade is original to the cap based on images alone. The stitching does not look replaced but it shows an incredible amount of wear. May-be moths/ bugs or goggles ?

Chris

p.s. is the "Serge" twill a tan or green hue in colour ?

Agree, of course. The cockade may have possibly been attacked by silver-fish but that doesn't seem so in this case. The wear, is wear - so goggles quite possibly. The sloppy application reminds me of Vorwerk & Sohn, and like you Chris, that's a new one on me.
Mark
NZ

[Tim O'Keefe]

Thanks for the added photos. Was sure i had seen this cap before about a year ago. Nice late '42 transitional cap without a soutache but with a sweatband. This maker is already on the list guys. The Herr eagle was there for some time as it's ghost is well pronounced. The thread used to attach the LW eagle and cockade appear to be the same. Hence the insignia is likely added post war or possibly late war post Afrika.

[90th Light]

The thread used to attach the LW eagle and cockade appear to be the same. Hence the insignia is likely added post war or possibly late war post Afrika.

On my monitor the thread used to attach the cockade looks thinner than the thread used to attach the eagle or for the field repair ???

Who can say for sure when the eagle was put on or the field repair carried out. ??? But I like the way they are done a lot

If the thread holding the cockade is thinner then there is every chance it is the original thread from hand sewing when the cap was made

Chris

[Gustav 43]

Thanks for your opinions
Having the cap in hands I can say the thread used on cockarde is thinner than the thread used on the eagle and field repair,definitely a different thread...and different colour of the threads used too.The colour of the cap is green.
Could this cap be produced earlier in the 1942 because of the manufacturer's name and not RbNr ?
Thank you,
Gustav

[RGD51]

On my monitor the thread used to attach the cockade looks thinner than the thread used to attach the eagle or for the field repair ???

Who can say for sure when the eagle was put on or the field repair carried out. ??? But I like the way they are done a lot

If the thread holding the cockade is thinner then there is every chance it is the original thread from hand sewing when the cap was made

Chris

The thread used on the Luft eagle is button thread common in a soldiers kit. I think the cockade is orig to cap even though sloppily applied.

Robt.

[RGD51]

Thanks for your opinions
Having the cap in hands I can say the thread used on cockarde is thinner than the thread used on the eagle and field repair,definitely a different thread...and different colour of the threads used too.The colour of the cap is green.
Could this cap be produced earlier in the 1942 because of the manufacturer's name and not RbNr ?
Thank you,
Gustav

Yes, a transitional period as makers names gave way to RBNr’s. Very cool cap!

Robt.

[Willi Z.]

The thread used on the Luft eagle is button thread common in a soldiers kit. I think the cockade is orig to cap even though sloppily applied.

Robt.

I agree. The whole cap (with the repairs and eagle application using the same thread, and the cockade using a different thread) is exactly how a soldier in the desert with limited resources would accomolish such a task. True "field-made" work IMO.

You can even see how the cap is slightly darker where the Heer eagle was. I wonder how the cap looks under the eagle. Worn with a Heer eagle and then with the Luft eagle. Fascinating...

[Tim O'Keefe]

Thanks for your opinions
Having the cap in hands I can say the thread used on cockarde is thinner than the thread used on the eagle and field repair,definitely a different thread...and different colour of the threads used too.The colour of the cap is green.
Could this cap be produced earlier in the 1942 because of the manufacturer's name and not RbNr ?
Thank you,
Gustav

Thanks for the added info. So the thread used to attach the cockade is thinner. Then there is a good chance that the cockade is original. The thicker thread used to attach the eagle is a different color than the thread used for the repair. I do like the repair alot, looks like a terrible rip originally.

This cap was produced either in Aug '42 or in the next few months after. The combination of the lack of a soutache, it does have a sweatband & makers mark & not an rbn#. The Herr eagle was on for long enough to leave a strong impression. So this cap arrived in Afrika at the earlist in the last few months of 1942. (if it actually went to Afrika ? A few months in the Sud Front would produce the same impression of the Herr eagle. So the LW eagle could have been attached as early as 1943 in Tunisia, Sicily or Italy. Was the cap issued to a LW solder originally ?

In 1941 the early LW Flak units in Afrika wore Herr tunics and caps. Did this still occur in 1942 /43 ?

Either way it's an Outstanding cap