Kriegsmarine Wartime Original vs Postwar Sailors Caps

[Gordon Williamson]

And the white top is strangely, fully lined, with white linen lining to both top and side panels.

[reinoudmilitary]

Great thread with very valueable information, thanks Gordon!

[meyer]

indeed, very interesting

[Erik Krogh]

Gordon,

Thanks for posting your very educational thread!

I have what I believe is a period "boiler room cap" used by the KM, probably in the pre-war era. The cap is unlined and has a fixed top.

Does anyone have any information regarding these caps? The story, as I understand it, is that these caps were issued to sailors who primarily worked below-deck on surface ships. My cap has the infrastructure for attaching a cap ribbon. Was any other insignia typically worn? Any information would be appreciated.

Best Regards,

Erik

[Erik Krogh]

Reverse of cap.

[Erik Krogh]

Underside

[Gordon Williamson]

Erik,

Your cap looks like what was colloquially known as a "Waschm?tze". Almost like the naval equivalent of a Beret, it was very much a work cap, of simple construction, no band stiffener, no lining, with the idea that it could simply be thrown into the wash with the sailors tunic and trousers to clean it. They were used in the Kaiserliche Marine . Full insignia could be worn if required, as evidenced by the regulation tally ribbon retaining threads.

I do have some photos of them being worn by a minesweeper crew, and will try to dig them out for you. The clue to look for in photos is the edge of the white cap body visible below the tally ribbon as of course the normal "white top" has a blue body, only the top being white.

[nesredep]

Hi

Gordon

Very interesting and good referense,thank you for sharing .

Regards

Nesredep

[Gordon Williamson]

Erik,

I was too quick off the mark. I only just noticed the small holes in the band. This isn't a Waschm?tze, but rather its only one part of an early white top. The top is secured to the band with small split pins which go through these holes. Here is a photo of a disassembled example.

[Erik Krogh]

Erik,

I was too quick off the mark. I only just noticed the small holes in the band. This isn't a Waschm?tze, but rather its only one part of an early white top. The top is secured to the band with small split pins which go through these holes. Here is a photo of a disassembled example.

Gordon,

Thank you very much for the information. Now I only need to find the band and the split pins to complete this cap. These should be pretty easy to locate - NOT!

Thanks again for the enlightenment.

Best,

Erik

[JBeltram]

Hello Guys,

Great thread. Here is my contribution.

Regards,

Jody

[JBeltram]

Here are two more views (BTW the eagle is RS&S like the em buckles):

Edited January 5, 2008 by JBeltram

[MP38]

Hi Gordon, great work!

Sorry for my very poor english, but I have not understand if ALL wartime blue matrosenmuetze have black interior...i have seen also with light-blue! Are fakes or postwar?

[Gordon Williamson]

No, I am sure there may be original wartime sailors caps with other colour linings, such as blue, but these would be privately purchased and usually have maker details. I believe that all the caps which were official issue rather than privately purchased, would normally have black lining to the top.

[JBeltram]

Unlike often found in army visor caps, the strip inside this support is not zink or other metal, but thick reddish brown celluloid.

Hi Gordon,

should all of these caps have a reddish brown celluloid, or as I would guess some variation to material.

Regards,

Jody

[Gordon Williamson]

Generally reddish brown but I think I recall seeing one in a greenish colour one time. I think its the material rather than the colour itself that is significant.

[JBeltram]

Generally reddish brown but I think I recall seeing one in a greenish colour one time. I think its the material rather than the colour itself that is significant.

Hi Gordon,

My cap has more of an orange celluoid strip attached to a piece of zinc metal (the zinc strip is attached to the band and the celluloid strip is on top of that which is inside the stiffener).

Jody