Original Item: Only one available. This is a very nice Great War Imperial German Field Cap (Feldmütze or Krätzche). It is constructed of grey/green "Felgrau" wool with red cap band and red piping along with an interior linen lining. The front of the cap bears a Black, White and Red Reichskokarde (Imperial Cockade) on the front of the crown, with a White and Black cockade for Prussia.

The cap is in very good used condition, with the expected wear and tear from having been through The Great War. There is some moth damage, and slight discoloration, but it still presents very well. The interior lining is in very good shape, with a faded but legible regimental marking:

XIII A.K.
GRKK
123

This marking is for the 123rd (5th Württemberg) Grenadiers "King Charles" Regiment. This regiment was a part of the XIII (Royal Württemberg) Corps. On mobilization on August 2, 1914 the Corps was restructured. The 180th Infantry Regiment was assigned to the 26th Reserve Division in XIV Reserve Corps. The 26th Cavalry Brigade was withdrawn to form part of the 7th Cavalry Division and the 27th Cavalry Brigade was broken up and its regiments assigned as reconnaissance units to the divisions. The two divisions received engineer companies and other support units from the Corps headquarters. In summary, XIII Corps mobilized with 24 infantry battalions, 8 machine gun companies (48 machine guns), 8 cavalry squadrons, 24 field artillery batteries (144 guns), 4 heavy artillery batteries (16 guns), 3 pioneer companies and an aviation detachment.

In 1915, drafts from the Württemberg line regiments were used to form a Württemberg mountain battalion, which became a part of the Alpenkorps division in 1917. This was the unit in which the young Erwin Rommel distinguished himself on the Romanian and Italian fronts, winning the Pour le Mérite (Imperial German equivalent of the Victoria Cross) at the Battle of the Isonzo in 1917.

Size is marked as being a 53, approximately 6 5/8. A wonderful textbook genuine example!