Physical Description

Piping: gilt

History

The Visored Field Cap M43 was introduced on June 11, 1943 and became the standard cap for all troops. It was also known as the Einheitsfeldmütze (standard field cap). The cut is the same as that of the “Bergmütze” (mountain cap), albeit with a longer visor, and it has the same design for flaps, which are affixed by two buttons at the front and could be lowered to cover the face in the form of a balaclava.

The cap was made of cotton and cellulose fibre, but in comparison to the earlier field cap model it was made of 70 to 90 percent cellulose fibre, making the material more coarse. On occasion this cap will have ventilations holes, just like the earlier models, but most were produced without any due to easier fabrication.

Enlisted men and NCOs wore no piping on their caps. Piping was silver-coloured for army and administrative officers, and gold-coloured for general ranks and administrative equivalents.
The buttons were grey for enlisted men and NCOs, made of pebbled aluminum for officers, and gilt for generals.

The embroidered insignia, the red, white, and black cockade in a wreath of oak leaves and the national eagle above it, usually came on a one-piece grey-green trapezium. It was made with silver-coloured wire for officer ranks.

The versions will significantly differ in weight depending on climate and local conditions.

The term M(odel) 43 has been given to this piece of headgear by collectors and has no official character.

Tropical clothing was worn by soldiers in northern Africa, and later in southern Europe as well, including Italy, Greece, and southern Russia.

The tropical visored field cap is known as the “Drillichfeldmütze”, to go with the “Drillich” uniform that was worn in warm or tropical weather. It was officially introduced in 1941 and thus can be seen as a precursor to the M43 visored field cap. Officers wore aluminum piping, while generals wore gilt piping. The same colours were used for the insignia of upper ranks. Initially, the cap had a soutache in the branch colour of the wearer (except for generals who wore a gilt soutache). This was discontinued on September 8, 1942.

The cap was made of herringbone twill, initially composed of linen, but quickly changed to rayon or synthetic cotton. The design is simplified, compared to the more elaborate M43 visored field cap. The tropical cap has no front buttons and no ear flaps. However, a seem gives the impression of flaps that are permanently affixed to the sides. The colours vary between olive-green, tan, sand or khaki, and light brown. Due to sun exposure many caps would lose their colour and get bleached to an off-white colour.