Crusher for Spiess

[Hilton]

I have seen some Spiess NCOs using crushers (M38). Was the M38´s not restricted to only officers ?

[afrikasandman]

Your tAlking about several different caps.

Crushers or Alter art caps were only for officers

Visors could be worn by officers or NCOs, I have an EM PzGrn visor that the Soldier tried to make it like a crusher

M34 is the enlisted overseas cap, can be seen with soutache or without

M38 is the officer overseas cap with the metallic pipping around the top.

Matt

[billbert]

I think very early on you will see senior NCO sometimes wearing real crushers...most of the earliest have embroidered non metallic wreaths in white rather than silver....JMHO Billbert

[Hilton]

afrikasandman; no I am not talking about 2 diff. caps, I am only talking about the "real" crusher", the M38, not regular visors.

Yes, Bilbert that is my observation also, that they had non metallic thread in the BeVo patches. I have even seen a Spiess still wearing a Reichwehr Knautschmütze as late as 40-41. I guess that the very special status of Der Spiess made it possible for them you take liberties other NCOs could not.

[OSS]

I think very early on you will see senior NCO sometimes wearing real crushers...most of the earliest have embroidered non metallic wreaths in white rather than silver....JMHO Billbert

Agreed. I owned an "Alter Art" visor with white on green insignia brought back by a US vet. I wish I still had it.

[Johnny R]

Matt is correct, I think you are getting it mixed up with the term for the Wafen SS version of the crusher hat which is called the "M38". The Army crusher was introduced in early 1934 and is referred to as the "Feldmutze alter Art".

[billbert]

I think there is a foto of NCO wear in Brian Davis German Army book...
Billbert

[billbert]

Actually The Ruptured Duck website has one with a period added officers cord in high tarnished early silver style...
Billbert

[Hilton]

Interesting information bilbert, thank you. Do you have a photo from the book?

Johnny R: Yes you are right, I mixed up the abbreviations of WH/SS, thank you for the correction.

[pauke]

crusher

There is a panzer EREL crusher of the early NCO style on the Estand at the moment but about to be deleted. It has the white cloth wreath.

[afrikasandman]

Pauke,

that isn't for an NCO, its for an early officer. The enlisted Soldiers wore the cloth like reichswehr crusher caps, they had the cloth covered bill and body. Those gave way to the early NCO tellermutz style visors.
The cap that BasalA has posted is a very nice early officer one. Chin cords were not not alway present on crusher, and most didn't have chin chords added until around 42 or 43 to comply with the regulation change that they Alter art cap was to be done away with. That said, not all officers complied with this and many continued to rock their crushers till the end. Matt

There is a panzer EREL crusher of the early NCO style on the Estand at the moment but about to be deleted. It has the white cloth wreath.

[pauke]

If you look closely at the Pz. cap of BasalA it has the early wreath in off-white cloth as we are describing for early WH NCO wear. The Reichswehr had a cloth-billed field cap as well as a black bill service visor cap. Pages 42-43 and 95-97 in "Die Uniformierung und Ausruestung des deutschen Reichsheeres 1919-1932 cover (pun intended) my reference.

[Hilton]

Does anyone have some photos of NCOs wearing "true" crushers ? I know I have seen several photos here on WAF, but can't seem to find them anymore.

[OSS]

This photo is being offered on eBay:

[OSS]

Here is more evidence that crushers were worn by NCOs (with white BEVO insignia):