A brief history of the leather peaked field cap............otherwise termed the crusher
Article about: Hi Another bright idea I had that turned into a headache, was to write a brief history of the army's leather peaked field cap. Any way after eventually getting the examples I needed to allow
A brief history of the leather peaked field cap............otherwise termed the crusher
Hi
Another bright idea I had that turned into a headache, was to write a brief history of the army's leather peaked field cap.
Any way after eventually getting the examples I needed to allow the post here it is. I hope it helps.............or is at least entertaining if not informative in some way.
The wear of a cloth cap in the field had been popularised in Napoleonic times and by the 1870's it was a standard piece of wear in the GERMAN ARMIES. The officers cap having the distinction of a peak. From 1873 the Nco's also got in on the action and could also wear the peaked cap instead of the other ranks field cap. The service cap was only used for parade and walking out dress.
The fundamental difference was that the sides and back of the crown were not sprung ot "stiffened" to allow the crown material to be collapsed once the internal steel spring was removed from the crown. Another important feature was that the cap band be more flexible to allow the cap to be folded or crushed together for storage or when a helmet was required to be worn and the cap kept on the person. A popular material that was used was millinery buckram a material that was stiff and bounced back into shape but also flexible enough to be bent without breaking.
Finally, the field cap was , as prescribed in regulations, to always have a leather peak whilst the service cap was manufactured with a rigid fibre one.
The first example to illustrate these points is an officers field cap circa 1900/1910.
It has conveniently been half lined internally allowing us the benefit of close inspection of the internal stiffener at the front of the crown and the observation of the missing stiffeners at the side and back.
The sweatband is made of grey leather and the underside of the peak has been colour matached to this grey, the interior crown steel wire has also been left in place to retain the cap shape.
This second example has had the wire removed to give the cheeky collapsed crown look and also has a cap band made from buckram giving it quite a flexible feel. This is a private purchase NCO's cap.
In 1907 the army moved from blue to grey coloured crowns on their caps. This private purchase nco cap has a very broken look and a leather peak measuring 5cm deep at the widest point.
In fact every field cap with a leather peak shown here all have 5 cm deep peaks a common theme fron 1900 to 1945.
In 1910 the officers also got a new uniform and new model cap. This had a leather peak but also came with a new introduction of the chin strap. This feature had been present on the caps of other states pre 1871 and then had slowly been phased out as they adopted the prussian regulations and uniform.
This example is a 1915 model with masking band and showing the adaption to the new type of warfare the army found itself in.
The weimar period started off with a type of field cap designed for all ranks with a cloth peak but finished strongly with the adoption of a new style of officers cap in 1934 with a leather peak.
This example is a post 1936 manufacture for a signals officer and has a leather peak and no chin strap as per regs. The dimensions of the cap are :
crown height 11.8 cm, cap band 4.5 cm; peak 25 cm long and 5 cm at it's widdest point; wreath 4.5 cm high and 7 cm long.
Re: A brief history of the leather peaked field cap............otherwise termed the crusher
Very nice examples, thank you. Welcome here is the fact that this style of head wear has its origins in the Napoleonic era, or, the era of German uprising against the Napoleonic yoke, the wars of liberation ca. 1812.
Re: A brief history of the leather peaked field cap............otherwise termed the crusher
Ok, as I understand it, the leather peaked field cap were first officialy recognised in the Army clothing regulations of the 1890's.
However, it wasn't until slightly later that the adoption of flexible buckram pasteboards came into effect.
No doubt an important influence on this lightweight style of field cap was the influence of the Cavalrymen.
Like many other European countries during the period, a very important part of a young well-to-do German's status would be the ability to be a good horseman. In Military terms, the Cavalry was the elite arm of the armed forces (and would remain so for many years) and one which every young soldier would aspire to. Equestrianism was THE sport of the day, especially in Germany and Prussia in particular. For example, Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia (1893–1917) actualy competed in the equestrian program in the 1912 Olympics.
These elite horsemen of the armed forces bought with them the styles and fashions of lightweight feldcaps into the Great War period and some joined a brand new arm, the Fleigerkorps! I'm sure we've all seen images of the Manfred von Richthofen and his fellow dare devils but how many of us have noticed the caps that a lot of them wear?
This is the period where German military caps start to really look like the unfortunate term we now know as "crusher" cap. These young men pioneered the fashion of bending and squashing their caps in the jaunty way that became so popular amongst the rest of the forces. Who wouldn't want to look like one of these aces?
Many of these hats were made of silk which leads directly back to the equestrian fashions of the period.
Phew, that's enough for now! Unfortunately, most of the nice images I had saved on my hardrive that would have been relevant have been lost now due to a computer virus. I had to totaly wipe my PC and start again!
Re: A brief history of the leather peaked field cap............otherwise termed the crusher
That wasn't entirely my point Tony. I merely wanted to highlight that these caps generated into the buckram, light weight garments not just so that they could be folded up and put into a pocket etc...
Re: A brief history of the leather peaked field cap............otherwise termed the crusher
A Saxon one, too. Very nice piece. Such a thing should be put one all wallet cards for collectors who regard the later field cap as cat nip. The commander of said unit in 1925 was Oberst von Falkenhausen, and Major Ruhle von Lilienstern served in it as well ;the garrisons were Dresden, Bautzen and Loebbau. Thanks for the enrichment of our site.
A brief history of the leather peaked field cap............otherwise termed the crusher
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