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Cold weather hat, any ideas?


matchstick

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I mentioned about it a while ago in one of my other threads, which at this time eludes me, and did say I would upload the image of the hat in question, which at that time eluded me.

 

Now that I have located all the ancient photo's in my collection I have located said picture.

 

001 (2).jpg

 

001.jpg

 

Now to my eyes it looks very much like the standard issue Deputy Dawg/Dangerous Brian hat except for the lack of camouflage.

 

As these pictures were in a rather disorganised state of affairs and it's taken at night I can't tell whether it's from the training areas of Germany or the back end of nowhere on the prairie in BATUS.

 

Any ideas on what this hat is?

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I have seen numerous pictures of similar hats being worn during the Korean war by both British and American troops. Rightly or wrongly I had always asumed these were US hats on issue to both nations fighting troops

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Although this NCO is wearing the AAC unit slide which I am assuming means Army Air Corps I usually associate that cold weather hat as being a Royal Marine piece of issue kit.

 

There are some pictures on the net but I cant find a free one to post here.

 

Where people acquired Gucci kit from and when they wore it was always interesting, on exercise seemed to be the most latitude displayed for it.

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It is part of standard cold weather/artic issue. As my Squadron (33Sqdn with Pumas) was part of AMF(L) helicopter force we were issued with artic clothing (as well as tropical/jungle etc.) and although most of the deputy Dowg hats were DP some would be grey/blue or OG or whatever came out the box. Not unusual to see a mix in use. Also used in the Falklands.

Many units operate in the artic not just RM.;)

 

cheers

Iain

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He is indeed Army Air Corps, 652 (Freddy the Frog) Sqn.

 

Was 33 Sqn at Benson back then? I've only ever seen the arctic hats in DP which is what had me questioning it's origins.

Going off the other pictures I have I'm confident this was taken in BATUS when 1 Regt AAC had Gazelles.

 

Cheers for clarification on this,

 

Dave

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So was there an issue hat made in Green or would it be some Scandinavian issue hat,Norwegian etc?

 

It would be interesting to know, too long ago for me.

We did have a variety of issue kit from Canada such as Dewliners,parkas, muckluks etc and some from Norway.

Also some we bought ie norgie shirts, ski goggles etc...

Worst kit ever, NATO bloody planks!

 

Iain

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I can confirm that the first issue of the Cap Cold Weather was indeed made in olive drab.These were a British equipment item as distinct from the version worn in Korea. The pattern changed to DPM C1976. Info taken from the pictured publication - dated 1975.

 

WP_20160402_002.jpg

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I remember my father giving me one of these hats in the early 70s it was British army issue with the crows foot on the label, at that time my father was in Y Squadron of the Queens Own Yeomanry, a T.A. Regiment equipped with Saladins. Wether it was standard issue or not I can't remember, although Y Squadron did go skiing in the Cairngorms every year, until they burned the ski hut down.

Edited by johnwardle
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Though there was an early green British version of the CW cap, I believe the one in the photo is a Norwegian issue cap. These were commonly worn alongside UK manufactured versions. They are a distinctive shade and normally have a pale green tape binding on the edge of the peak. This one in the OP has had the Norge badge removed, but there are photos showing British troops wearing them complete with the original insignia as seen in the attached photo.

image.jpg

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Yes, I do. Identical to the DPM in construction but made of a synthetic feeling cloth not windproof gabardine as on the DPM version. Most likely water resistant to a degree. Same quilted nylon lining too and khaki flannel lined side and brow flaps.Mine has RM rank insignia on the peak but the paper size label is long since gone. I suspect the crap hat and the ECW hat were originally copies of existing Norwegian designs but I've not confirmed that as yet. Features and design are near identical on both. Not sure what came first, the chicken or the egg! Regards Paul

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When I posted "Where people acquired Gucci kit from and when they wore it was always interesting, on exercise seemed to be the most latitude displayed for it" I meant that itr was an eye opener as to who else were in those areas as part of that force element be they REME or AAC or RA or RE or whatever the unit was.

 

It was by seeing those kinds of bits of kit on people that gave their past service away and made them interesting people to chat to, that is all I meant.

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When I posted "Where people acquired Gucci kit from and when they wore it was always interesting, on exercise seemed to be the most latitude displayed for it" I meant that itr was an eye opener as to who else were in those areas as part of that force element be they REME or AAC or RA or RE or whatever the unit was.

 

It was by seeing those kinds of bits of kit on people that gave their past service away and made them interesting people to chat to, that is all I meant.[/quote

 

We used to swap, blag and acquire so much kit etc that it was rare to have two of our detachment dressed the same, be it artic, tropical or temperate. One of our older Chiefs used to wear a pith helmet (I think that what it was?), he was issued with it many years before ! :shocked:

I am not sure what others thought of us.......:red:

 

Iain

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...We used to swap, blag and acquire so much kit etc that it was rare to have two of our detachment dressed the same, be it artic, tropical or temperate. One of our older Chiefs used to wear a pith helmet (I think that what it was?), he was issued with it many years before ! :shocked:

I am not sure what others thought of us.......:red:

 

Iain

 

There is a book by a Korean War National Service veteran (Ron Larby) that has a character (name changed) called Kitchener whose aim was to wear something from every different countries uniform. What the Navy would call "A Character".

 

The book itself is well worth reading, and freely available still.

 

Chris.

 

Signals To The Right Armoured Corps To The Left

 

Ron Larby

Published by Korvet Publishers (1993)

ISBN 10: 0951775022 ISBN 13: 9780951775028

 

 

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For Korea, the only cold-weather headdress available from British sources were the wartime khaki-gabardine "ski-cap" as intended for mountain troops and the "Cap, Sheepskin" (as the name suggests)...........the pile-lined caps worn were from US military sources...............

 

During the 1960s, a green pile-lined cap of British origin was issued, this still being listed in the 1986 "CM" QM Catalogue (Cold Climate Clothing)........it is described as "Cap, Cold Weather" and described as "Acrylic on polyester and cotton, lovat, for use by one special unit only", three sizes (Small, Medium and Large) and assigned British NSN's of 8415-99-136-0663 to 0665 respectively................the item is not shown (then) as obsolete........the DPM pile-lined cold-weather cap is also listed in three sizes plus "special" for those with an enormous head..........NSN's 8415-99-132-3734 to 3737.............

 

Interestingly, the Norwegian-issue green ski cap is also listed as "current", being described as "Cotton, with earflaps, for AMF(L) only", sizes 6 & 3/4 to 7 & 1/2 (Continental sizes 55 to 61cm), NSN's 8405-25-821-5803 to 5809...............

 

The original DPM pile-lined cold-weather cap was introduced in the late-1970's with a nylon quilted lining............issues from the very late 1980's/early 90s onward were entirely faux-fleece lined (dreadful material) and some of the 90s issue were made from ripstop cloth as opposed to windproof cotton gabardine.................:-D

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Stumbled upon a green cap on EbayUK last week,poor pics and description with no pics of any labels or stamps etc so could have been anything but knew it WASNT US,German or French so took a punt.

 

Arrived today and while unfortunately NOT a British one it is a very nice 74 dated Norgi one.

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