Officers Wool M43 Cap

[B. N. Singer]

I thought I had this on the ropes back at post 124...Oh Well!!Billbert

NEVER!!!

B. N. Singer

[djpool]

There are a number of vet stories so anyone owning or looking to buy one of these hats can use that information in their decision making process.

I've tried to concentrate my efforts on how the hat is constructed as well as the insignia.

There are numerous small features of construction (certain stitching techniques, sweatband application) that I've only seen on some original M43s and not on any repros I've seen.

The cord material is a mystery. I haven't found any other hat (real or fake) with that type cording. I've tried expanding my search to headgear of other countries. Now I think it was Glenn who mentioned seeing that cording on a sidecap he felt was a repro. However without pictures etc I have to put it in the same category as the vet stories.

The sweatband on my hat is unfinished IMHO. I think its the final step before the headbands are permanently affixed, in other words just tacked in. Why? I haven't a clue.

The insignia IMHO was manufactured by a firm that did KM insignia. I've collected a few other examples, the styles are identical, only the thickness/type of thread differs.

The color of the cockade is a mystery but I'm still searching.
Here are a few comparisons with KM eagles. This first one is with a eagle on a hat so there is a difference caused by angles. Look closely at the swastikas on the color pic.

Anyway the search continues. WR Jim

[djpool]

negative 1

[djpool]

Heres another eagle. I'll let you comment on any similarities.

[djpool]

negative 2

[djpool]

I also looked at the Reds used in the construction of KM insignia. There is a lot of variation as can be seen below. Obviousily this isn't the best way to do a comparison (using a number of pics from a lot of sources). Unfortunately I don't have any KM insignia to do a side by side look. WR Jim

[Mike Davis]

Amazing analysis Jim.

[Bob Hritz]

I was going through some eagles and found this one, a Naval tropical machine embroidered on tan twill.

Bob Hritz

[djpool]

Amazing analysis Jim.

Hi Mike,

Thank you. Now this last step will be less analysis and more assumption and speculation. Before I make the leap there was one last concern over the trap and that was how small the red bulleyes appears. Again I started looking at wartime pics of KM headgear. It appears that the bulleyes on KM cockades had a lot of variation. I just attached one pic but I saved a few more if anyone wants to see.

So where are we? Heres what the information tells me:
a. The eagle on the trap is a style used by the KM. The construction appears to be consistent with wartime originals. Only the color of the thread is different.
b.The bulleyes on KM cockades varied in size.
c. The red colors used in making KM insignia had a lot of variation.
d. Not mentioned before, but it doesn't appear that the KM produced Trap insignia for their headgear.

Now we enter the land of OZ. The reason I say this is because so little hard evidence is available on how insignia was designed and approved for production and distribution. Even less is known about the manufacturing facilities especially the smaller tailor shops/foreign firms etc. I do know that the larger firms could handle the manufacturing of insignia from all services as well as political/civil insignia. I had the opportunity in Germany to see some stocks taken from smaller tailor shops. There was a lot less variety of insignia and more concentration on one or more types of insignia.

So for arguements sake lets say the Army wanted to produce embroidered traps. A shop specializing in KM insignia decided to bid or was selected to make it. I think given the variation in Army eagles, that the guidance from Army was probably of a general nature- background color, overall dimensions, acceptable colors for the eagle etc. This shop which specialized in KM insignia would probably design something that they had experience in already making. I'm sure they would run some samples for approval. After approval of course they would produce it.

Now we get to the hat. Apparently the hat and insignia are tied together somehow. Maybe the firm produced hats too or was part of a LAGO which included hat makers. Possible this was all part of a larger contract issued by the Army. The only comparison I can think of is the Dachau hats. I know that the hats are unique to the Dachau facility. I'm not sure about the insignia; though there is insignia produced that was unique to that facility. Maybe the collectors familiar with Dachau headgear can help me out.

I know this is all speculation but it should make for some interesting discussion. WR Jim

[djpool]

Bob Hritz let me borrow the Naval Eagle he showed above so I could do some side by side comparisons. The only difference between the two is the wings on the Heer eagle slope downward a bit. Anyway here are some pics. I'll let you decide if there are any similarities. Jim

Front full

[djpool]

front detailed picture of the swas

[djpool]

full back

[djpool]

back side with emphasis on the swastika

[billbert]

Nothing new to report on these???????Billbert

[djpool]

Nothing new to report on these???????Billbert

Billbert
I think short of finding a wartime picture of the hat/insignia in wear, theres really nothing more that can be discussed. But its been a pretty thorough discussion. Also very friendly. It certainly provides anyone contemplating buying such a hat all the pros and cons to make an informed decision. Unfortunately not everything fits nicely into the good or bad category.WR Jim