Manions Turkish WW1 cap # 6097376

Thank you UK for keeping us informed. Are you the fellow who wrote the articles in the ARMORER concerning Turkish buckles? Great stuff! =D>
 
The hand drawn star and crescent and the wrong date would be a clue.
Best
Gsu
 
Military Antiques in the UK had one a few years ago but Bill Combs suggested it was also a film prop. With a few movies such as Gallipoli, The Light Horseman and of course Lawrence of Arabia I suppose there would be movie props around.
 
I guess the big question remains, what happened to the original caps?

Now I understand that one point to remember (as I tell people with the colonial pattern sun helmets) is that there just weren't that many soldiers on the ground. The Palestine Campaign was a sideshow of the war and I assume British soldiers had better things to bring home than Turkish caps. And I also assume that Kemal Attaturk probably hated these caps as they were akin to the backward nation of the Ottomans. I had read he had tons of old military equipment burned.

So I guess we blame Attaturk!
 
I do not think you can blame Attaturk, it is my understanding that he promoted the use of these caps. I suspect that it is much like the WWI boots in the US and German trousers, they were worn until there was nothing left of them. There are a large number of originals in New Zealand, as the Kiwis were second only to the Aussies when it came to souvenirs (I think they will have to agree that the Aussies beat them, as they do not have a German tank that was brought home i a ANZAC's haversack.)
Best
Gus
 
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