BACKGROUND: The M43 field cap was originally introduced in the German army on June 11TH 1943 as a replacement cap for other field caps then in use, and adopted for wear in the Waffen-SS on October 1ST 1943. The design of the M43 field cap was based on the earlier Mountain Cap with minor variations.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Coarse, reworked, field-grey wool/rayon construction cap features fold down side and back panels with a downward scalloped front and forward sides, and two small, pebbled magnetic sheet metal closure buttons. The back and side panels were designed to be folded down to protect the wearers ears and neck and the scalloped front section could be secured with the buttons closed under the wearers chin. Buttons have their original stitching. The front center of the cap has a late war, single piece SS cap insignia trapezoid as introduced in 1944. The insignia consists of a machine embroidered SS eagle and skull in matte silver/grey threads with black accent threads to the skull on a field-grey wool trapezoid base. The skull is the second and final pattern with a single row of teeth. The trapezoid base is machine stitched to the cap in the typical zig-zag fashion. The forward cloth covered visor (with exposed cardstock to the underside). The interior of the cap is fully lined with light weight grey cotton/rayon with an HBT weave. Size marked 57.