Khaki Schirmutze - tropical issue??

[flasheart]

Chaps,

I just picked up a peaked mutze with a lightweight tan-coloured soft top, red band and black leather peak. Oilcloth interior band. Two kokarden: the national kokarde is missing, though the stitching remains in place and you can see where it has been. The state kokarden is missing most of its paint but what I can see is some black felt in the centre and the remains of some pale blue paint on the inner ring, so I am assuming bavarian.

The material in the cap is very lightweight cotton, not the heavy wool you normally see in a mutze. The cap is also very 'floppy', with no rigidity whatsoever. In the photos, I have blocked the cap with foam blocks to show the full shape. Without the blocks it is completely floppy.

The cap was listed as a flieger abteilung schirmutze as it had come out of the estate of a gentleman who had served in a Hanoverian squadron.

It looks like the caps I have seen in photos in Macedonia and Palestine, but I thought they had tan-coloured bands, not red bands. Also red piping around the seam.

Mutze's are definitely not my area of expertise. Can anyone help with an ID on this?

Mike

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Mike:

Do you have the Osprey publication, German Air Forces 1914 -18, by Ian and Graham Sumner? Contained therein is a color plate of a Jasta 300 pilot (Palestine) in khaki drill tropical uniform wearing a Schirmmütze similar to the one you describe. However, I would expect the cap band to be black for Flieger. Red would indicate infantry. Is the crown piped in red, or plain? Additionally, does it have a chinstrap?

I am looking forward to the pictures; it sounds really interesting.

Chas.

 

[Tony without Kaiser]

However, I would expect the cap band to be black for Flieger. Red would indicate infantry.

If I may, that only applies for Mannschaften, and only for an officer if he started by joining the Fliegertruppen. Most officers were seconded from other arms and retained their distinctive order of dress. If we could see a color photo of Jasta pilots wearing their caps, it would be every color under the rainbow. But the men would all have black bands and red piping as Chas indicated.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Mike:

Tony makes an excellent point. Here's one for comparison:

http://www.agmohio.com/items/10020517.htm

Chas.

 

[Daniel Murphy]

These were used in warm climates, but it is just a regular summer weight officers visor cap. I have a badly mothed and shriveled one that was found in Fort Douamont at Verdun in the 20's, when it was being incorporated into the Maginot line. Mine is grey cotton as well, but I have seen gray silk (or rayon)ones as well.
Dan Murphy

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Dan:

I had the opportunity to inspect a Bavarian Hauptmann summer weight M15 Bluse at the Mohawk arms auction. My best guess was the Bluse was made of silk. Even the concealed buttons were silk covered.

At first glance, the cloth appeared to be tan/pale khaki. However, beneath pocket flaps and inside the barrel cuffs, where the fabric had not faded, the color was regulation Feldgrau.

The perils of collecting cloth.

Chas.