{"product_id":"original-french-wwii-navy-officer-s-visor-cap-with-rank-band-by-sans-rivals","title":"Original French WWII Navy Officer’s Visor Cap with Rank Band by Sans Rivals","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item. Only One Available. By the outbreak of the Second World War the French Navy was a strong force. Between 1926 and 1939 two battlecruisers, seven heavy cruisers and 12 light cruisers had been built. Their large battleships were either new or had recently been modernized. It also had 71 destroyers and 76 submarines. Its main weakness was a lack of aircraft carriers. The French Navy saw little action during the war. However, in June 1940 it took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk. When it became clear that the Vichy government would not allow the French Navy to fight with the Allies, the Royal Air Force launched an attack on French ships at Mers-el-Kebir and Dakar. Those ships that survived were either kept in French North-West Africa and at Toulon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the Allies entered Toulon harbour on 27th November, 1942, three battleships, seven cruisers, 29 destroyers and two submarines were scuttled by French officers to stop them being used against Germany. After the Vichy government surrendered what was left of the French Navy (4 battleships, 9 cruisers and 11 destroyers) saw action in the Mediterranean, Indochina and the Far East before the end of the Second World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a lovely French WWII period Navy visor cap for an officer with one rank band, likely denoting a Lieutenant. The front has a small brass anchor badge denoting the navy. The visor is not trimmed and shows crazing. The leather sweatband is torn and heavily cracked, but retains an embossed maker’s mark:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE. BAUMERT\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e9, RUE VAUBAN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOLMAR\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is also a mark on the interior crown, \u003cstrong\u003eSANS RIVALS\u003c\/strong\u003e or something similar. The visor is roughly size 6 ⅞.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReady to display.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45395910918213,"sku":"ONJR26JUMS008","price":195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR26JUMS008.jpg?v=1784933951","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-french-wwii-navy-officer-s-visor-cap-with-rank-band-by-sans-rivals","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}