Original Item: Only One Available. The SS (Schutzstaffel - 'Protection Squadron') was originally formed in 1925, ostensibly to act as a small, loyal bodyguard unit to protect the Führer, Adolf H. Under the direction of the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the SS grew to be the most ruthless and feared organization of the 20th century. They were the vanguard of NSDAP and eventually controlled nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe. When WWII began in earnest, the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) (SS Dispositional Troops) became the Waffen-SS ("Armed SS"), an official military branch of the SS organization. Its formations included men from NSDAP ruled Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and unoccupied lands.

In late 1940, with the impending German entrance into the North African campaign, tropical uniforms headgear and equipment were quickly developed and issued in time for DAK, Deutsches Afrika Korps, (German Africa Corps), personnel’s arrival in Tripoli in February 1941.

The M41 tropical field cap was introduced in early 1941 and design of the cap was loosely based on the Mountain Troopers, Bergmütze with minor variations. Officer ranks caps were distinguished from EM/NCO’s with silver piping for the ranks of Lieutenant to Oberst and gilt piping for the ranks of Generalmajor to Generalfeldmarschall while EM/NCO’s ranks caps were not piped. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a particular identifying waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), and originally the M41 tropical field caps had a branch of service soutache applied to the front consisting of an inverted "V" encompassing the national tri-color cockade but regulations of July 10TH 1942 abolished the use of the soutache and instructed it to be removed from the caps, although the directive was not strictly adhered to.

This is a very nice example of a DAK Tan Tropical M43 Field cap outfit with a correct Waffen SS Tropical gold/tan Bevo embroidered Totenkopf skull badge on the front. We have compared it to other known examples, and the stitch pattern is correct. It also is correctly folded under and only sewn to the front layer of fabric on the cap. We can see that originally there was an eagle badge pin attached to the cap above the skull, however it was later removed, possibly to "sanitize" the cap for post war use.

We have examined the construction of the cap, and it is correct in all respects. It features ribbed tan cotton twill construction, dual-ply, stitched down side and back panels with a scalloped downward slope to the front center. The cap has ventilation grommets to each side positioned just below the outer edge of the crown seam, and they are coated with brown enamel. The top center seam is correctly stitched right through the interior liner for added strength. The cap has a cotton twill covered, forward visor with an internal cardboard stiffener. The visor has a subtly raised lip to both sides of the forward edge and a row of reinforcement stitching. We cannot feel any cracks or major damage to the cardboard stiffener. The interior of the cap is fully lined in light weight light green cotton HBT fabric, with no markings that we can see. It is relatively small in size, probably a 55cm or smaller.

Condition is very good, showing some light overall age toning and staining, but no major damage from wear or abuse. A wonderful lightly used example with a great "been there" look! Ready to research and display!

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.