Hessen 115th NCO Schirmuzten

[Grady Allen]

I bought this cap a few months back, and am curious about the markings. The cap is an NCO cap and NOT an officer cap. It appears to be a private purchase cap for the 115th Life Guard unit from the manufacturer's stamp indicating manufacture in Darmstadt (the Garrison city of the Hessen 115th regiment). I don't know what the E.2. portion of the stamp refers to? The cockades also appear to be original to the cap, the Hessen cockade may have been slightly touched up with paint in the red section. This is my first Imperial headgear purchase so any help would be appreciated!

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Unless your photo has warped the colours on that cap - that is not LIGR 115. For LIGR 115 that should be a standard infantry cap i.e. dark blue with red band and piping - not pinkish.

As to the stamp which for one is very odd to have in what is a private purchase cap, if it is original, could indicate E (Ersatz) 2 (company) 115. Now normally stamps that indicate a regiment would have the number preceded by JR (for Infantry Regiment).

Interested in hearing what others think - personally I would not have bought this cap.

[Grady Allen]

Hi KaiserWilhelm2,
The cap is in standard infantry colors (dark blue/red), I just have a hard time photographing it with the lighting available to me. Didn't certain units of the Imperial Army private purchase uniforms and headgear from local tailors rather than Depot issued clothing? I'm not worried about the cap's age. Could the E. mean Eigentum? And the 2. 2nd Kompanie?

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Hi KaiserWilhelm2,
The cap is in standard infantry colors (dark blue/red), I just have a hard time photographing it with the lighting available to me. Didn't certain units of the Imperial Army private purchase uniforms and headgear from local tailors rather than Depot issued clothing? I'm not worried about the cap's age. Could the E. mean Eigentum? And the 2. 2nd Kompanie?

E for Eigentum is rather unlikely as the stamp itself indicates something as being the property of …. Therefore there is no need to denote this by adding an E.

[Willi Z.]

Personally I do not like that ink stamp, and like Tom, feel a unit designation in that sequence is incorrect.

[Grady Allen]

It's always possible that the stamp was added post-war to "increase value". That's of course not what I want, but I suppose it's a possibility I'll have to consider. I have my doubts about the stamp but I can say for certain that the cockades have been on this cap forever. I checked this morning and neither cockade protudes through the lining.

[Willi Z.]

A postwar added stamp to increase it's value is certainly possible. As you mentioned above, Darmstadt is in Hesse, so that would be my focus. That type of insignia is pretty hard to reapply without doing any damage.

I would try getting a photo in natural light, regarding the red band/ piping.

[Grady Allen]

I always have trouble posting pictures here on WAF. This is the only photo of the ten I took that would upload. I may try again later to upload the the photo that clearly shows the Red band and piping.

[Grady Allen]

Ok here's a better one.

[kaiserwilhelm2]

The last pic shows a typical infantry cap and the maker is from Darmstadt plus it has a Hessian cockade so it looks like its a Hessian infantry cap which could have been worn by someone from 115 but also by someone from another Hessian infantry regiment. The stamp IMO is not correct.

[Grady Allen]

With what we have to work with, 115th seems the most likely given the manufacturer's location. But this doesn't exclude it being from one of the other Hessen units either. Thanks guys for your help with the stamp!

[Willi Z.]

As Jim and I discussed at the recent SoS, not every cap in blue with a red band is Infantry. Obviously, merely based on sheet numbers, the odds are pretty good and in favor of Infantry. His "dichotomous key" is very useful.