Eaglehurst Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 (edited) Not particularly rare or unsual apart from the size. I have never come across one big enough to comfortably fit me until now! Not sure of date but presence of metric sizing and makers name would seem to indicate mid/late 1980's perhaps? Edited September 7, 2011 by Eaglehurst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 thats one big crap hat!!!! gives me hope that I can get one in my size (60 or 7 1/2) Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eaglehurst Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 gives me hope that I can get one in my size (60 or 7 1/2) Mark Mark - that should be a little easier although anything bigger than size 7 is not overly common.... I would have like to have found one of these is old sizing which I think is c. 7 7/8... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer nut Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Mark Thats not the correct one, so you either have to stick to your Cold Weather cap or see a head shrinking tribesman. It is, I think, a 90's thing onwards and not an '70/80's thing. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 The venerable crap hat was introduced during 1972, although trialed from roughly 1970 onwards......made from size 6 (48) through to 7 & 7/8ths (massive)..........I have over 20 of these, including a pin-head size 6.....and I would agree that the larger sizes are a rare find nowadays.......I think the largest I have is a 7 & 1/4........but it is fair to say that sizes do vary amongst manufacturers......I have a size 7 that is bloody large but when compared to an identical 7 by a different manufacturer the other is considerably smaller...and both are NOS..!?!! A stall at Beltring this year had a box full of NOS size 6 & 7/8ths for only £2 each.......I bought a few for the colour & manufacturer variations, including a couple with the adhesive stores labels still attached... Up to around 1978, the crap hat had brown-colour shirting flannel lining to the earflaps.....subsequently changed to green thereafter.....later issues can be found in the newer DPM semi-synthetic materials and colours..... Around 1992, the crap hat was revised in manufacture.....the poplin lining plus the shirting flannel lining to the flaps was deleted, the entire cap now being manufactured throughout in DPM (1992 type) material.....sizing was now metric and a label sewn-in replacing the ink-stamping of earlier issues....... The crap hat fell out of use when CS 95 was introduced, although remains on limited issue to recruits for field training, etc.......not bad for a 40-year old design.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willyslancs Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 my dads had his for years (had to have his cap specially made in the army,due to head size ! ) also helps to have a miliners hat stretcher!...will ask if he has any spare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Bearing in mind it is a direct copy of the Norwegian one I have posted photos of in another thread, the design is considerably older than 40 years !! Thanks to the Norwegians ! Because they were issued to recruits, there was a real stigma to wearing one once basic had been passed. Although to be honest I always preferred wearing it to a beret. Dave I meant the British DPM variety when mentioning 40 years old Dave ! I agree with your sentiments entirely......in my unit we weren't ever allowed to wear 'em, although a few field exercises miles from authority soon put paid to that. I found the crap hat good at keeping dust and sun out of the eyes, but it could be a tad uncomfortable for lengthy periods as the inner-flap edges at the front would dig-in to the forehead.......so you always wore a bigger size than necessary to relieve the pressure..... Seems that when initially issued the cap was popular in the field judging from period photos, but usage dwindled by the late-1970's......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eaglehurst Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 thats one big crap hat!!!! gives me hope that I can get one in my size (60 or 7 1/2) Mark Here you go Mark - and old pattern as well! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Army-Issue-dpm-Hat-airsoft-festival-camping-survival-bug-out-/320756761454?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item4aae97c36e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Here you go Mark - and old pattern as well! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Army-Issue-dpm-Hat-airsoft-festival-camping-survival-bug-out-/320756761454?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item4aae97c36e now on watching, cheers mate Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enfield1940 Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 Revisiting the subject of the DPM cap... had a stroke of luck today at the Chatham militaria fair and picked up this excellent condition example for a mere fiver. Better still it’s an extra large 7 7/8 size and an early one with the brown lining and an early style DPM print. It just needs a very gentle wash and little reshaping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Grundy Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 Here is one in use, 1976, Ranskill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enfield1940 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 Great picture. Thank you for sharing. Would I like to have that wooden furniture SLR in my collection... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Grundy Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 And it did not cost me a penny ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 Is that you as a Corporal Bob? Artillery or Inf mortars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Grundy Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 Robin I was an ACPO, Assistant Command Post Operator. It is the 81mm Mortar Platoon. Note the clean boots, first day of an Exercise. Happy days..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 (edited) Ah the heady days of the SLR and puttees...... I see your gas mask bag is close at hand, so a proper exercise then. The Combat caps were just, well, ever so, lacking in style. Edited February 16, 2022 by robin craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretfixer Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 I got my First Cap issued in 1974 as a young 17.1/2 Recruit at Arborfield! 😁 We were only allowed to wear them on the final field exercise. & at unit level, very few People wore them at all. Except acting as 'Enemy' to distinguish them from Friendly Forces! The cap is still on issue today, but in the Current MTP Camo Material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnwardle Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 I was at Arborfield then, intake 73A we were originally issued with 48 pattern battledress trousers and used 38 pattern webbing. I'm front left in the photo which was taken outside the 3 storey block, or JEEPland, opposite those 13 bunkers that I had to run over god knows how many times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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