Private Purchase Gor Blimey

[NR72]

Opinions required please

Has anyone ever seen a private purchase officers Gor Blimey cap date stamped??




Any input would be greatly appreciated, feels like its been messed around with?

[asterperious]

It's not a gor blimey, but a basic officer's soft trench cap badged to the royal Naval Division. The A means approved war office pattern - late in the war as more officers came up from the ranks or were poor middle class they could not afford to kit themselves in the traditional manner so the government bought stocks from military outfitters to issue to Jr officers. - like this example here.

It has been well used - badges may or may not be original to the caps, depending on where you source it from. A sexy unit commands more money than a naked cap or one to a corps. It is safe to presume that badges have been replaced over the years if they have been in collections versus from a clearance or the family.

Forum member Mark Holden posted images of some of his in another thread here last year. A gor blimey has a folded and rolled neck flap for officers and an over the head flap for other ranks.
WW1 British Headgear

[NR72]

Thankyou , i think it has the holes in the back to allow fitment of neck cover? As worn in Gallipoli?

[NR72]

Thankyou , i think it has the holes in the back to allow fitment of neck cover? As worn in Gallipoli?

[Jerry B]

Thankyou , i think it has the holes in the back to allow fitment of neck cover? As worn in Gallipoli?

They are vent holes rather than for fitting a neckguard. The cap looks pretty good, though I am not a fan of the markings. Without them the cap could be a bit later.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

That's a fairly wide gap between the first two - and last two digits of the date stamp.

[Jerry B]

That's a fairly wide gap between the first two - and last two digits of the date stamp.

Sadly the difference in retail price between 1917 & sometime in the 1920's or 30's is a couple of hundred quid, so well worth getting the pen out!

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Precisely! Or in this case... not done precisely enough!

[Mark Holden]

The markings are original and not later additions. I will post a photo of my cap the gap in date numerals is identical. The original stamp may have run or been imprecisely stamped. This cap has been discussed on the GWF and received all round thumbs up.

regards

Mark

[NR72]

Hi Mark, thank you very much for that, much appreciated. I love the cap. Whats your opinion on all those "Vent" holes on the rear m it has been suggested that they were for attachment of neck protector ? To me there looks like too many holes to be ventilaton, i would expect to see some on the sides if this was indeed there purpose

What do you think?

Thanks again