Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII M41 tropical field cap associated with the Deutsches Afrika Korps, manufactured by Carl Halfar of Berlin in size 56 and dated 1942. It is a well used field example with ribbed olive khaki cotton twill construction, original machine woven eagle and national cockade, intact ventilation grommets, and a fully marked interior showing the maker, size, and date.

The M41 tropical field cap was introduced for German forces serving in hot climates and was closely associated with the North African campaign. Its form was derived in part from the mountain troop Bergmütze, with distinctive tropical construction and lightweight materials suited to warmer conditions. EM/NCO examples were unpiped, while officer versions used metallic piping.

This cap is constructed from ribbed olive khaki cotton twill with dual ply side and rear panels stitched down around the body. The front forms the characteristic gently scalloped downward slope toward the center. Ventilation grommets are fitted on both sides just below the crown seam, while the top center seam is stitched through the interior lining for added strength.

The front carries a blue gray machine woven national eagle in light tan thread on a cut out olive backing. Below this is the machine woven national tricolor cockade on a tan diamond shaped base. Both insignia are zig-zag hand stitched to the cap and pass only through the outer layer of fabric, consistent with original application.

The visor is covered in matching cotton twill and retains its internal cardboard stiffener. It has the correct slightly raised lip along the forward edge and two rows of reinforcement stitching underneath.

The interior is fully lined in lightweight cotton. The lining was originally red but has faded considerably from service use, with areas now appearing almost tan. The fading is most pronounced around the lower front and sides and is also visible on the crown, consistent with prolonged wear and perspiration.

The interior retains a faded boxed manufacturer marking with the size and date below:

Carl Halfar
Berlin Nr. 2
56
1942

Overall condition is very good for a clearly service used tropical field cap. The exterior shows general wear and staining, including more noticeable staining on the upper right side. All ventilation grommets remain present, though the surrounding fabric shows tearing to varying degrees. The front grommet on the left side has lost its original painted finish and shows more pronounced fabric tearing than the others. The visor remains free of major cracks or hard bends, though it shows overall rippling consistent with past moisture exposure.

With its Carl Halfar maker marking, size 56, 1942 date, original tropical eagle and cockade, ribbed olive khaki cotton construction, and convincing field worn condition, this is a particularly appealing M41 tropical field cap. The exterior staining, faded red lining, tearing around the ventilation grommets, finish loss on the left front grommet, and moisture related visor rippling are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Deutsches Afrika Korps, tropical Heer headgear, Carl Halfar maker, M41 field cap, or advanced German WWII uniform collection.

The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of their African colonies, the formation fought on in Africa, under various appellations, from March 1941 until its surrender in May 1943. The term "Afrika Korps" is pseudo-German (so-called "cod-German"), deriving from an incomplete German title. The German term referred solely to the initial formation, the Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK), which formed part of the Axis command of the German and Italian forces in North Africa. The name stuck, with both news media and Allied soldiers, as the name for all subsequent German units in North Africa. The unit is known for having been commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.