BACKGROUND: German Naval uniforms and headgear were based on traditional designs that date back to the creation of the Prussian Navy in 1848, and although the uniforms and headgear did evolve during the interim years, many items used during the Third Reich would still have been quite recognisable to the Imperial sailor. The Pea jacket was a basic uniform item issued to Junior NCO’s and EM’s, with minor variations, and followed the basic design of the Imperial German Navy and Reichsmarine Pea jackets.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, Kriegsmarine era, deep navy blue doeskin wool construction, three quarter length, double breasted style jacket with fold back peak lapels and a lay down collar. Jacket features two, vertical, parallel, rows of five front closure buttons with corresponding button holes on the left front panel. The fold back peak lapels also have a single button hole to each with a corresponding button hidden beneath each lapel. Right breast has a machine embroidered national eagle in golden yellow threads on a cut-out navy blue wool base. The eagle is neatly handstitched to the jacket. Jacket has two horizontal slash front hip pockets with straight edged flaps. Sleeves have straight cut non-adjustable cuffs. The upper left sleeve has a 1940 pattern specialty insignia consisting of a machine embroidered exploding winged shell situated above a single chevron in bright red threads on a vertically oval navy blue wool base indicating light Flak Artillery specialist. The oval navy blue wool base is handstitched to the sleeve and interestingly has an underlaying stiffener. Lay down collar has the typical zig-zag reinforcement stitching to the reverse. The forward edge of the collar is trimmed in gilt wire, NCO’s rank tress and has plain, cornflower blue wool collar tabs with a small strip of the gilt wire, NCO’s rank tress near the top edge. Tress signifies the rank of Obermaat. Collar tress and tabs are machine stitched to the jacket. The interior of jacket is fully lined in navy blue melton cloth with grey rayon sleeves. Lining has a horizontal slash pocket to both left and right breast panels and heavy internal padding to each shoulder. Lining has faint illegible white inkstamp within a boxy "T" shaped outer border. Although illegible the inkstamp is from one of the Kriegsmarine clothing depots. Jacket shows small areas of light to moderate nap wear, a small handstitched repair and about a dozen small moth nips which are only visible on close inspection. All the buttons are the fire gilted alloy type with embossed fouled anchor on a horizontally ribbed field with simulated twisted rope outer border and most appear to have their original stitching. The reverse of all the buttons have impressed script, "Kriegsmarine" and dates of "1938", and, "1939". Jacket is roughly size 40" chest. Set comes with a nice pair of size 32/34 trousers.