Original Item: Only One Available. Wehrmachthelferin (Armed Forces Helpers) was the name for girls and young women who served during the Second World War with the German Wehrmacht as auxiliaries. This is a very nice and hard to find example of a German WWII Air Signals Female Auxiliary (Luftnachrichten Helferinnenschaft) overseas cap (Schiffchen). The overseas cap, was nicknamed in German military slang as Schiffchen, or literally "little ship" as it resembled an up-turned row-boat, was standard issue for this organization.

This example is constructed of a Luftwaffe fliegerblau (flyer's blue) blue/grey "whipcord" weav wool exterior, with fold down side and back panels with gently sloping, downward scallops to the front and forward sides. The top edge of the fold down panels are piped in twisted braun (Saddle brown) rayon piping, which has faded over the years. This is the Luftwaffe Waffenfarbe (corps color) for the Air communications corps (Luftnachrichtentruppe), usually referred to as "Signals". The front center of the cap has a machine embroidered Luftwaffe eagle in white threads on a cut-out blue/grey wool base neatly handstitched to the cap. These usually do not have a cockade per regulations, however there is one on this example. It also has a field gray backing, so it was added for some reason that we are not aware of.

The inside of the cap is lined with lovely blue / indigo rayon, which shows only minor staining and wear. It still has a maker marking on the inside, though it was not stamped well, and is only partially legible. We have however had other examples by this maker, so we know what it originally looked like, indicating production in Luxemburg:

„ALMI“
Uniformen und Mützen
Luxemburg
1942 59

Condition of this cap is very good, with only light wear to the outer wool shell, and just a few small moth nips. the interior shows almost no wear, and the rayon lining is still quite shiny and untorn. A very good example, ready to add to your collection!

Background on the Luftwaffe Female Auxiliary

Although the Luftwaffe had utilized civilian female employees in secretarial and clerical positions, it was contrary to the NSDAP’s views on women to draft them into active military service roles. As the war progressed and additional manpower was needed at the front, more and more women were recruited into service, albeit still retaining their civilian status. Besides the secretarial and clerical positions female civilians were also employed as Flugmeldedienstpersonel (Aircraft Reporting Service), personnel that were tasked with operating assorted aircraft visual and sound detection equipment, and radar stations to warn of incoming enemy aircraft.

On February 26th 1941, the Luftwaffe constituted the Luftnachrichten Helferinnenschaft, (Corps of Women Signals Auxiliaries), which incorporated the Flugmeldedienstpersonel and were tasked with aircraft warning and communication services. The Flugmeldedienst and Luftnachrichten Helferinnenschaft personnel were outfitted with uniforms on June 11th 1940 that included an overseas cap. Additional regulations of November 26th 1940 dictated the female auxiliaries overseas caps were to have the crown trimmed in golden/brown branch of service piping. Regulations also instructed that the female auxiliaries overseas caps were to be worn without the national tri-color cockade applied, but the regulation was not always adhered to.