Jerry B

I have another staff officers cap from WWI on its way to me, it should have arrived today and he was ex Welsh Guards but it appears from the sellers pics to have a very flat peak. In the hand will tell and I'll start a thread on it when it arrives as the owner had a very colourful life in war and peace.

Thanks Mervyn. I am not sure what you mean by the peak being high? The guards units tend to have a very vertical peak from what I have observed, whilst this falls within the "normal" range of peak angles, some are nearly horizontal, whilst others are more drooping with those for the guards being as close to vertical as it is possible to get it. A Welsh Guards example from 1958 at top left, note the angle of the peak when compared with other caps. Also note another staff officers cap at bottom left has a similar angle to the thread starter as do all those in the bottom row. (6 out of the 9 caps shown belong to me, the other images are from my reference collection.)

Thanks Bob, by a strange coincidence I saw another example for sale recently, probably post WWI from the look of it, but the same as this, a staff officers forage/dress cap.

A new addition to my collection, which has featured in a recent book on British officer caps. It is probably dated to just prior to the great war or perhaps from the early post war period. It is made by Hawkes & Co with their new address (at the time) of #1 Saville Rd, late of 14 Picadilly and a pattern apllied date of 1912. It is a staff officers forage cap, rather than a Brigadier or Colonels so does not have the braid on the peak. the khaki version without braid is more commonly seen but these can also be found sometimes, another one sold recently on the bay. It has buttons for George V so that confirms it dates to between 1912, from the pattern date and 1936 when George V died, though as I mentioned above I tend to think a date of circa 1912-1914 is most likely. I have included two pictures of it alongside the book in which it appears.

Very nice addition Bob. Interesting to see it has plain buttons which if I remember correctly is a regimental trait shared with some of the other hussar regiments.

Excellent work, great to see sassoon in particular, as I am a collector and historian to the RWF.

Yeh sorry bad typo. Belgian.

5th Brlgian Lancers is the closest I can think of.

Better detail pictures would allow informed comments to be made concerning its date etc. Interior images of both Bonnet and tunic might help, traces of any labels or inkstamps for instance. If pre 1914 the tunic should have a paper label or signs where it once was, similar to this from a RWF example in my collection.

Sadly no doubt about it at all.

The fabric label was not introduced until some time in the 1920's and in this case post 1922, probably dated 1940's (1945?) and someone has modified it to try and read 1915. The seller or some previous owner needs a slap if you ask me for trying to fake this.

Thanks Bob, high praise coming from you.

And the stripes look to be the wrong pattern for WWI.

Indeed, it also only has one pleat below the collar as well as looking brand new. As far as the latter goes, they can look good for their age, but not brand new from this date I think.

From these pics it is either the post 1922 version or a copy and It would help to see the interior.

It might be one of the fusiler regiments perhaps, though nothing else that looks like a spade springs to mind.

Thanks Peter, good to see it is appreciated by someone other than me.

Vaguely resembles the collar badges worn by Royal Engineers or Royal Artillery.

this one is said to be 68 pattern dpm http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-1968-70-DPM-68-COMBAT-JACKET-SMOCK-FALKLANDS-WAR-ERA-SIZE-4-PARA-USED-/321472724334?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item4ad9447d6e

a fairly recent addiiton to my collection, OR's undress cap dated 1909 and unit marked to the 2nd Bn Monmouthshire regiment. A good early example with a leather peak, not often seen for an OR to any regiment from this period I think. In good condition apart from the chinstrap and still with its original brass badge. The battalion was formed in 1907, only two years before this cap was issued to them.

70's to 90's ish dpm camo jacket, the sort of thing you used to see in every army and navy stores a few years back.

An image of one in use mounted to the upper wing. The information and the picture were posted by Martin W.

Very nice cap Oli and with an interesting history.

Posted on another forum. Thornton-Pickard were formed in 1888 and produced photoraphic equipment up to 1940 when the company ceased to exist. This piece is the Thorton-Pickard Mk III Hythe Machine Gun Camera,circa 1915. The camera was used by the RFC for aircraft gunnery training.The camera was mounted onto an aircraft and instead of shooting bullets it took pictures and was used to train pilots in air-to-air combat. The camera was the same size as a Lewis gun and when the trainee "fired" the gun camera a cross-hair was printed onto the image showing how accurate his aim had been. The camera took 16 frames on 120mm roll film,had an f8-300mm lens and was named "Hythe" after the gunnery school in Kent. The camera's were sold commercially after the war.

I'll have a look Jock, I have some German items in my collection, in fact most will be for sale soon.