Afrika Korps M43

[Alf]

Hi Guys

Just picked up an army Afrika Korps M43. The cap is in nice worn condition with all parts showing signs of equal wear. Maker marked and dated for 1941 it shows remnants of a white soutach (which was removed at some point). Also it also has that lovely old musty smell to it. The only thing that concerns me is that at the back of the cap there has been an extra piece of material sewn in to make it larger i.e. the back seam has been undone and a piece of tan material (which is like a very thin canvas - almost like a tropical bread bag) sewn in in an inverted V configuration. Looks period done and I have seen two other caps which have had this done to them but wonder if anyone has found the same.

Will appreciate your comments

Cheers

Alf

hi Alf

Could you post some pics of it...

that will help a lot

cheers

Jan From Flanders Fields

[John Hodgin]

Please post a photo. Otherwise it's hard to judge. This cap is not an AK 43 cap. As you stated the date is 41, so it cannot possibly be a 43 cap. This cap is an M-40. What is the maker mark?

Regards,
John

Alf

I could be wrong because I know zero on DAK stuff

but could it be an extra ´fieldmade´ protection against the sun - a bit like a H. Meyercap?? like this? http://www.therupturedduck.com/WebPa...rhdgr/hg29.htm
As sort of ´neckflap´...
But never saw a M 43 with that as standard


Greetings

Jan From Flanders Fields

[Alf]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the quick replies

Pics will be forthcoming

Alf

[Denis]

The 4 following pics are posted on behalf of Alf.

1st one :

[Denis]

2nd one :

[Denis]

3rd one

[Denis]

4th and last one :

not at all what I first thought, sorry...




Jan From Flanders Fields

[John Hodgin]

M-40 field cap

These are faked a lot and well, but this one appears to be a good one. Hard to tell all because the photos are a bit "soft." What is the entire maker marking? Can't make it out. Looks like the cap was "enlarged" to fit someone with a very large head.

Regards,
John

[atcase]

Hi Denis and all,
Some where i seen an article (i hope) about French manufacturers making items of clothing specifically feldmutz `s and they were all made of a very small size (sabotage!!!!!) .When the authorities realised this the company was forced to modify the caps by stitching in a section at the rear of the caps.
I thought this was in Angolias Uniforms and traditions series but a quick flip through revealed nowt, but will attempt a more through search later.

This is purely just a though or as stated enlarged to fit the `square head`!!!!!!

[John Hodgin]

M-40 caps

Hi atcase. Have heard this story about the French as well, makes sense. However, if this cap is real, and I think it is, it is a German made piece. M-40's were made by German manufactures.

Regards,
John

[Denis]

Hi "Atcase"
I also heard the story. In fact, it ismentioned in Bender's Headgear of Hitler's Germany, volume 1, where a KM coastal artillery overseas cap is shown bearing the same feature than Alf's M43 cap.
The author considered it as a subtle act of resistance from the French manufacturer
Quite funny !!
Denis

[Ralph Heinz]

tropical M40 cap

The ink stamp looks like it might be the three line stamp of Schlesische Mutzenfabrik Frankenstein and so does the 1941 date stamp but the photo is too small to tell for certain. This maker also used a peculiar trade mark to the left of the three lines but this area is not shown in the photo.

If it proves to have been made by this maker, they were located within Germany -- remember that German resupply was a real problem with the allies sinking such a large number of ships leaving Italy for N. Afrika so it's quite possible that someone needed a larger size cap and one wasn't available from a supply depot at the time he needed it so he had a company tailor simply enlarge a smaller size cap to fit him.

When it comes to sabotage, I've got a LW tropical shirt made in the Jewish ghetto of Lodz, Poland (Litzmannstadt) on which the bottom two button holes were never sewn below the top pockets leaving the belly area open. I think this was a case of subtle sabotage that wouldn't be noticed by an inspector in a large bundle of shirts. For a Jewish worker forced to make shirts for the Wehrmacht, it might have given him some solace to know that someone's stomach would be sticking out of the shirt until he had a company tailor make the missing button holes for him.