Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely "salty" service worn condition example of a German WWII Heer Army Medical Officer M38 overseas cap (Schiffchen). The overseas cap, nicknamed in German military slang as Schiffchen, or literally "little ship" as it resembled an up-turned row-boat, was standard issue for all branches of the Heer.

This example is constructed of a field gray (feldgrau) "doeskin" wool exterior, with a gray cotton lining. The "scallop" on the front has silver piping on top, which is also around the cap crown, indicating officer issue. It features a fine BeVO machine embroidered eagle, with silver metallic on a dark green base, the standard Heer officer colors early in the war. There is a very nice dark medizinblau (medical blue) V-shaped soutache, which is the Waffenfarbe (Corps Color) for the Sanitätstruppe (Military medical service). The bottom stitches do not go over the soutache, so it was added to the cap after production at arsenal. Inside of this is a hand embroidered bullion National Tri-Color Cockade.

The interior lining of the cap looks to originally have been light gray canvas, now faded and stained from use. There was originally a leather sweatband at the front, but it has gotten brittle and torn over. The only marking we can make out is a very faint size marking of 57 on the left side.

The exterior of the cap also definitely shows that it saw long service, with some possible moth damage. There are stains, worn areas, and on the left side the fabric has been worn through completely at the bottom and on the side, showing the fabric under the outer flap. There are some repairs shown as well, including some to the cap eagle, which looks to have torn at some point.

A really nice "battle worn" example, ready to display!