Oakleaf badge on RAD Schiffchen what is it?

[Nick Komiya]

This overseas cap is one that my neighbour used to wear. What is the significance of the oakleaves insignia attached to the side. Any info appreciated.

[Michael Jonas]

Hi Greetings from Bonn,

this cap is totaly faked, the cap, the oakleafs are not from the RAD, the badge is also a fake.

I have seen 20 of these caps in a "Aldi-Tüte" (like Wal Mart shopping bag) from a fleamarket in Berlin.
They are very nice and very new.

Greetings Michael

[Nick Komiya]

Michael,
This is not one of the fakes you refer to. I am referring to my German veteran neighbor in Canada, where I am now. He immigrated here in the 50s and this as well as some other items came with him. He gave this to me some years ago and at that time it didn't have the RAD insignia, which he had removed to denazify. I'll ask him about the oakleaves, because there is a possibility that he had sewn it on after the war without having anything to do with the RAD.
Anyway, it's good to know that there is a collector close by when I return to Cologne.

[Nick Komiya]

So, I spoke to my neighbor today and he told me he didn't add the oakleaves after the war; that it was the Abteilungszeichen of his unit. So I seem to have a RAD cap that no one has seen before. I'll leave it at that, as I don't collect RAD anyway. I only have it because it is a free memento from my dear neighbor.

[Radcollector]

Nick,

can you post a pic of the liner and any markings ??

[Ernst-H]

The oakleaves are a Traditions abzeichen for Arbeitsgau XXII (Nord Hessen)
Des your neighbour originally come from that region?

Normally (as far as I know) these were worn on the left side of the cap with the stem facing forward

[Nick Komiya]

Ernst,
Thank you very much for your information, you were spot on. The neighbor said he was indeed in Nord Hessen, building a road in a munitions factory and barely got away alive when one day it exploded 3 minutes after they had marched by. When I told him about the wrong location of the oakleaves, he said he must have made that mistake himself. That's case closed for me.

[beaviso]

I can only confirm that the upside-down placed "oak leaves" are the Traditionsabzeichen of the Arbeitsgau XXII Hessen-Nord.
From 40 Gaue only 17 had their honour badges in a total of 14 distinct specimen.

brgds,
M.

[NickG]

Nice RAD side cap! Can't believe it was deemed a fake by somebody else!
I have a HJ wintermutze which came with a similar abzeichen.
but not exactly the same...Any ideas?