Kriegsmarine U-Boat Headgear

[Gordon Williamson]

As part of my interest in U-Boat stuff, I decided to try and get examples of all the normal cloth headgear worn by a typical U-Boat crew, based on photographic evidence. This in fact covers a wide range including the tropical helmet ( which I haven't got yet) bizarre though it seems to think of people clambering through narrow U-Boat hatches with big sun helmets !

We have Michel as a member, and he has what I guess is one of the finest

U-Boat collections in existence, so if we are lucky we may see some of his too.

Here are a few of mine.

Officers Bordm?tze

[Gordon Williamson]

Matrosenm?tze-. This one has the cap ribbon "U=Bootsbegleitschiff Saar"

[Gordon Williamson]

Junior Officer grade visor cap. I decided to restrict myself to caps up to the grade of Kapit?nleutnant, as there were relatively few U-Boat commanders over this rank, "Kaleu" being the predominant rank for the U-Boat commander.

[Nick]

Gordon

Is that a Silver NSRL sports badge attached to the cap band ?

Nick

[Gordon Williamson]

Nick,

Its Bronze. It was used as a "tradition" badge by U-274.

[Nick]

Thats interesting !

Any idea why they adopted that badge ?

Nick

[Gordon Williamson]

Fraid not. Its listed as their badge, but not the reason why. Probably just liked the design, there may not be anything more to it than that.

Here the NCO Visor.

[Gordon Williamson]

And what the "inside" should look like on a cap with removable vs fixed top. Should always be a white "cheesecloth" type covering to the crown.

[Guest Darrell]

And what the "inside" should look like on a cap with removable vs fixed top. Should always be a white "chessecloth" type covering to the crown.

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Whats the purpose of the removable top Gordon? For cleaning perhaps?

[Laurence Strong]

I think to go from a blue to a white top, but that is just a guess

[Gordon Williamson]

Correct Laurence. Here's the same cap with white top on

Edited April 22, 2005 by Gordon Williamson

[Gordon Williamson]

Thanks for posting these Michel. Always a treat to see some of your fabulous KM headgear. Vogler's cap is simply superb !!

[RoyA]

An example from across the pond...

Edited April 23, 2005 by RoyA

[RoyA]

U-190 Bordm?tze

[RoyA]

U-190 Star of Rio

[Gordon Williamson]

White summer cotton Bordm?tze.

[Langemark]

This in fact covers a wide range including the tropical helmet ( which I haven't got yet) bizarre though it seems to think of people clambering through narrow U-Boat hatches with big sun helmets !

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Hello All,

This is my first contribution to this new Forum.

KM tropical helmet.

Best,

Mark

[Langemark]

Inside

[Gordon Williamson]

I agree, lovely example. It's one piece of KM headgear I haven't found yet !.

Strange to think that such a large, cumbersome piece of headgear would be used on U-Boats, but it most certainly was.

[byf]

Incredible. Great stuff. Thanks for showing them.

byf

[Guest Robbs]

Fantastic pieces of headgear guys .I only have one KM cap it might have been used on a U boat ,came from Bizerta via a US vet .Rob.

[Guest Robbs]

The Vet .Rob.

[Gordon Williamson]

Very nice Rob. Great to have a piece with supporting provenance like that !

[KM-SPAIN]

I found this one some years ago with the box, one blue top and two different white tops. On the leather sweatband is still the cardboard size label.

Best.

Eduardo

[Guest Robbs]

May be a picture of the inside ?

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But of course ,here you are .Rob.