History

The headgear and uniforms worn by members of the Kriegsmarine were based upon the designs utilized by the Kaiserliche Marine and the Reichsmarine. The official regulations governing the uniforms of the Reichsmarine were issued on April 5, 1921, and they were embraced, with a few alterations, as the Kriegsmarine uniforms in 1935. New guidelines concerning rank insignia were issued in 1936.

This Coastal Artillery Field Cap was likely worn during the winter months by personnel who were permitted to wear the field grey uniform in the Kriegsmarine Land Forces.

The design of this visor field cap is based on the design of the Army’s M43 Standard Visor Field Cap, and it is composed of several main design elements. For instance, the wool is generally a green-coloured field-grey, there are two skirt arms, and the skirt arms are joined by two buttons. There are also rare examples of these field caps with blue-coloured woolen cloth.

Each field cap was also adorned with at least two insignia, the national emblem and a tricolour cockade; these insignia are added separately. The insignia were usually machine-woven (BeVo) on a rayon backing that mirror the colour of the field cap; field grey, green, or blue. The official national emblem was made from a golden yellow thread on rayon backing, and the official cockade was machine-woven (BeVo) on a diamond-shaped backing. These insignia could be hand-sewn or machine-sewn onto the cap itself.

The caps worn by Officers had additional gold-colored piping or celleon mesh cord added along the crown seam. This piping usually spanned the entire crown seam.

The lining of government issued caps was made from light-green/green satin weave, and it did not include a sweatband. The government issued caps also tend to feature the RB Numbers on the lining. Maker marks are also rarely seen on the lining.

There may be very rare examples of this Coastal Artillery Visored Field Cap that are composed of navy-blue wool.