A few more, including a screen shot of the German (Saxony) history archive site showing the more precise timescale of the wind down period for textile production.
-
-
As for the cap itself I noted from this thread that it was previously discussed in 2018:-
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=977400
and that it was picked up by Dan Fisher ("D.F", i.e of Regimentals - http://www.regimentals.co.uk/ - and author of the 2011 book "Afrika Korps"
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Afrika-Korp.../dp/1613643454 )
at the 2018 Max show. Sure enough, on Dan's YouTube VBlog "Max 2018" at 3'39" in, there it is!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dky_yskyBQ - have added some screen shots.
He bought it on the first day.
Dan does not recall any history with the cap, but if anyone did handle it before Dan bought it and happens to recall any history (e.g Vet pick up etc) given by the seller please feel free to let me know here or by PM, I'm always interested in such details, however small or brief! I don't expect dealers handling huge quantities of militaria to remember such things, but sometimes collectors do.
...Last edited by PaulW; 09-28-2019, 06:20 AM.Comment
-
As mentioned above I was triggered into 'needing' a Heer tropical cap example by the book on Pz Abt 208 in Italy, a theatre of interest for me. I will add a few pictures from the book, published in 2010. I highly recommend it and hope that showing a few pictures from the book will encourage sales of the book, it really is superb with highly detailed text covering every aspect of the unit in great detail, with tables of equipment, contemporary accounts and post-war veteran recollections. The unit had some brief dealings with the Hermann Goring Division in Italy, they were given HG's 'cast-off' tanks! From December 1944 the unit served on what was effectively the southern sector of the Eastern Front. On 10th March 1945 it became the 1st Pz Abt of the Feldherrnhalle Division (when it received Panthers), amd fought alongside the Waffen SS Panzer Divsion "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" (LAH) in 1945. An interesting unit overall:-
Panzer-Abteilung 208: Italy 1943-1944 Hungary-Slovakia-Moravia 1944-1945 (by Stefano Di Giusto)
Amazon link:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panzer-Abte...f=sr_1_fkmr1_1
Note the differing shades of cap worn by the soldiers in the AFV. The (possibly) more worn cap of the soldier with the MP40, and the more 'minty' example worn by the driver. Not many tropical tunics in evidence in the book, but Der Spiess appears to be wearing an 'M42' (2nd Pattern) tropical tunic?
...Last edited by PaulW; 09-28-2019, 06:45 AM.Comment
-
((I can't seem to load 10 pictures at a time so am splitting them up.))
Of course there are plenty of non-tropical pictures in the book, an example here, showing some black Panzer M43 caps. Note the Afrika cuff-title!
It's possible that both tropical shoulderstraps and black shoulder straps are worn, but this is the headgear forum so won't stray too much!Comment
-
Apologies, another slight digression, although headgear related....
When searching for an M40 initially this very nice example got away (perfect wear IMHO), missed by a hair's breadth (
) :-
https://virtualgrenadier.com/sale_item.php?iid=6045 - Earlier of the LeeG collection/ and prior to that the Ralph Heinz collection. (As mentioned on a 2005 WAF thread)
As a result of just missing out I became 'consumed' by the need for a Heer tropical cap (I'm sure all collectors have been there....
), and so out of desperation 'widened my search pattern' to dealer sites I rarely visit. I'm glad I did as I think this is as nice an example (if not nicer) than the Mutzen-Fabrik Dressen shown here and recently sold on Mike Davis's excellent Virtual Grenadier site, although I would have preferred more wear, such as seen on this Dressen example.
I think Regimentals suffers from inadequate photography sadly which is why I don't often visit, but on the other hand Dan Fisher has been great to deal with, with excellent communication and shipping immediately once he got back to the UK where the cap was stored.
Other than wanting an example of an M40 I don't plan to collect tropical again (did that in the 1990's), but totally get the addiction, especially to the caps, and what better tropical icon than an M40 cap!
And if the new owner of this Dressen cap views this thread, and ever tires of it - PM me, I think I could handle two!
Regards, PaulLast edited by PaulW; 09-28-2019, 06:39 AM.Comment
-
You have uncovered the reason that there are fewer surviving E42's. The fact that the factory converted that year and cap production ceased.
The combo of a soutache and sweatband is also uncommon in makers.
One additional note, often the washers on the inside of the grommets are inverted. Oddly quite often only on one side, same for the Weissbach tropical sidecaps.
cheersComment
Comment