Peaked cap
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A peaked cap, peaked hat, service cap, barracks cover, or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the
The term forage cap is also used, although that also applies to the "field service cap" or the side cap.
Other principal components are the crown, band, and insignia, typically a cap badge and embroidery in proportion to rank. Piping is also often found, typically in contrast to the crown colour, which is usually white for navy, blue for air force, and green for army. The band is typically a dark, contrasting colour, often black, but may be patterned or striped.
In the British Army, each regiment and corps has a different badge. In the United States Armed Forces, the cap device is uniform throughout every service branch, although different variants are used by different rank classes.
History
The peaked cap originated in late 18th or early 19th-century Northern Europe, usually worn by working-class men. In the later years of the Napoleonic Wars, it began to appear in 1811 in the Russian army and later in the Prussian army (Russia's ally at that time), being popular because of its comfort and light weight, as opposed to the cumbersome bicorns and shakos that were standard-duty issue. During the Biedermeier period (1815–48), they became universal dress for German and Austrian civilian males of all classes, and for the entire 19th century, they were popular with the working classes all over Northern Europe, although in Britain the flat cap was preferred by civilians towards the end of the century.[citation needed]
In 1846, the United States Army adopted the peaked cap during the Mexican–American War due to the unsuitability of the shako in the hot Mexican climate. In 1879, a form of peaked cap was adopted by chief petty officers of Britain's Royal Navy, in imitation of an undress headdress worn by officers from as early as 1825. The British Army adopted peaked caps in 1902 for both the new khaki field dress and (in coloured form) as part of the "walking out" or off-duty wear for other ranks. A dark blue version was worn with dress blues by all ranks of the U.S. Army between 1902 and 1917.[citation needed]
During the 20th century, the combination or peaked cap became common in the armies, navies, air forces and police forces of the world, forgone in combat by common soldiers in favour of more protective combat helmets.
During the
Military usage
Australia
In the Australian Army, the peaked cap is known as the service cap and is generally worn with the "Patrol Blues" order of dress by all ranks with the cap colour being blue. A khaki service cap could be worn previously by warrant officers, commissioned officers and officer/staff cadets with any general duty order of dress and working/protective dress until September 2010.[3]
In the Royal Australian Air Force, the peaked cap is the standard headdress for all ranks, usually worn with service dress, ceremonial dress and tropical dress among others.[4]
In the Royal Australian Navy, the peaked cap is the standard headdress worn by personnel holding the rank of petty officer and above when wearing ceremonial dress, regular day dress and informal evening dress among others.[5]
Austria
Throughout the 19th century, the
Canada
The cap was used in the early stages of the First World War as the primary headgear, but increased head injuries led to its replacement by the Brodie helmet as primary combat head protection.[citation needed]
In the Canadian Forces, the peaked cap (French: casquette de service) is the primary headgear for men's Royal Canadian Navy
On navy caps, the peak and chinstrap of the service cap are always black. The cap band is black with the exception of navy military police, who wear a scarlet cap band, and members of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, who wear a tan cap band.[7]
On both navy and army caps, the chinstrap is affixed to the cap via two small buttons, one roughly over each ear; these buttons are miniature versions of the buttons on the service dress tunic, and as such bear an RCN or regimental device.[citation needed]
The peak of the cap of
The service cap is theoretically unisex, although there is a service hat (French: chapeau de service) for women which does not have a crown top and has a stiff brim all around. The front of the brim is formed into a visor and the sides and back are folded upwards.[citation needed]
China
Members of the People's Liberation Army also wear a peaked cap, with the design influences from the former Soviet Union. However, since from 2007, PLA started to change to adapt the Type 07 Service Uniform, the new uniform retains peaked cap but the style is more like the US and Commonwealth peaked cap instead of the Soviet style caps.[citation needed]
Denmark
In Denmark, the use of peaked cap has seen a gradual decline from official uniforms, but it is still used in the ceremonial uniforms the general corps of the Army, officers of the Airforce,[9] officers of the Navy,[10] the police[11] and fire department.[12]
Germany
Peaked caps were first issued to German Landwehr troops during the Napoleonic Wars known as the Wachstuchmütze and made from oil cloth, since these were cheaper and easier to maintain than the heavy leather shakos and elaborate tailcoats worn by the British, French and Russian armies. The Prussian army was also the first to adopt the frock coat, so officers would not soil their dress uniforms on campaign.[citation needed]
When the spiked
In 1935, the Nazis introduced new uniforms designed for modern mechanised warfare. However, the basic design including the peaked cap remained the same as in the
After the Second World War, both the
Indonesia
Members of the armed and uniformed services in Indonesia wear the peaked cap during ceremonial and operational duties. It is widely worn by the Indonesian National Police, the Indonesian National Armed Forces and other uniformed institutions in the country.[citation needed]
Israel
In the
Poland
The rogatywka is a 4-cornered type of peaked cap, related to the czapka and worn by members of the Polish Land Forces.[citation needed]
Naval officers and air force personnel, however, wear conventional peaked caps.[citation needed]
Russia
Russia was the first country to adopt the peaked cap. The official act of adopting the cap for military use was made by
In 1914, peakless caps were abolished everywhere in Russian armed forces except the Navy, and modern peaked caps were issued to all soldiers. However, after the
In the 1990s, the Russian peaked cap was redesigned and widely issued to the armed forces and police. Caps of this shape are most associated with Russia among foreigners, since they are large and high. [
Serbia
Peaked caps are worn by non-commissioned officers and officers of the Serbian Army (including the Serbian River Flotilla) and the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence. Women wear a different style.
Syria
Peaked caps are worn by commissioned officers of the four service branches as part of their full-dress uniform, the Syrian Arab Armed Forces typically wear berets as part of their service uniform. the Syrian Arab Military Police notably wear red covers on their peaked caps.
United Kingdom
Male Royal Navy officers,
Royal Marines
All Royal Marines personnel wear a cap with a white cover and a red band with 'blues' uniform. The Royal Marines Band Service also wear this cap with the Lovat uniform and the 'Half Lovats' equivalent of army barrack dress.[citation needed] Women wear caps of a slightly different pattern.[15]
British Army
British Army officers wore blue peaked caps as early as the
Peaked caps were first issued to enlisted men in 1908 to replace the
All personnel of most regiments and corps of the British Army wear a forage cap, as the peaked cap is formally called, in numbers 1 and 2
- The Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, Army Air Corps, Parachute Regiment, Special Air Service, Intelligence Corps and 4/73 (Sphinx) Special Observation Post Battery RA, who wear berets;
- The Royal Regiment of Scotland, who wear a regimental Glengarry with cockfeathers taken from the former ceremonial uniform of the Royal Scots;
- The Royal Irish Regiment, who wear the caubeen;
- The Brigade of Gurkhas, who wear a round Kilmarnock cap in no 1 dress and the slouch hat in no 2 dress
- The Queen's Royal Hussars, whose officers wear a tent hat in no 2 dress.
It has a cap band which may be coloured (red for all royal regiments and corps), a crown (formerly khaki, now dark blue, except for the Royal Military Police, who have always worn red, and the Rifles, who wear rifle green), which may have coloured piping or a regimental/corps colour, and a patent leather peak and chinstrap. The chinstrap is usually secured above and across the peak and secured at each end by a small (20 line) button of the appropriate regimental or corps pattern.[citation needed]
Officers in some regiments are also required to wear a khaki version of the cap, often called the "service dress cap", with service dress (the officers' no 2 dress) or barrack dress; the design of this dates back to the cap worn in the field until replaced by the steel helmet during the First World War.[citation needed]
Female personnel wear a peaked cap of a different pattern. For uniformity, however, female musicians wear the same peaked cap as male personnel in formal dress. Members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service wore a soft peaked cap of a different pattern again.[citation needed]
Royal Air Force
All male personnel of the Royal Air Force wear a cap with a blue-grey crown and a black band, worn with the appropriate badge, in no 1 dress, and sometimes in other uniforms as well. The peak is:[citation needed]
- Black and polished for airmen, non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and warrant officers
- Blue-grey fabric for officers of the rank of wing commander and below
- Black and polished with one row of gold oak leaves for officers of the rank of group captain
- Black and polished with two rows of gold oak leaves for officers of the rank of air commodore and above
The caps of other ranks of the RAF Police have a white crown. Officer cadets wear the officers' cap with a white band instead of a black band.[citation needed]
Female officers and warrant officers wear a peaked cap of a different pattern. Female other ranks wear a round hat instead, although the female version of the peaked cap was formerly worn by all female ranks of the RAF Police. For uniformity, however, female musicians wear the same peaked cap as male personnel in formal dress. All ranks of the former Women's Auxiliary Air Force wore a peaked cap of a different pattern again, similar to that of the Auxiliary Territorial Service.[citation needed]
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White peaked cap of other ranks in the RAF Police.
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The female version of the RAF peaked cap, with air officers' oak leaves.
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Members of the Royal Air Force wearing peaked caps (July 2011) including a white example worn by an RAF Police airman at the front right.
United States
United States Air Force
In the United States Air Force, all personnel have the option to wear service caps, but only field-grade (major through colonel) and general officers are required to own one. The service cap is issued without charge to enlisted airmen assigned to certain ceremonial units and details.[citation needed]
Air Force service caps are Air Force blue (shade 1620), matching the coat and trousers of the service dress uniform, with a gloss black visor and black chinstrap secured by silver-colored buttons bearing a version of the "Hap Arnold emblem" first designed by James T. Rawls for use by the Air Force's predecessor, the
The USAF service cap is also worn by the Air Force's civilian auxiliary, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Senior members (those over the age of 18 who are not cadets and everyone over 21) may wear the service cap with a CAP-specific badge.[18]
United States Army
In the United States Army, service caps are optional for wear with the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard wears the combination cap, known as the combo cover, with the Service Dress Blue uniform (SDBs), the Tropical Blue uniform (Trops), and with all other formal dress uniforms. The cover is identical to that of the Navy with respect to the chinstrap and peak ornamentation. Its crown is white. The buttons securing the chin strap to the sides of the band are smaller versions of the buttons worn on the Coast Guard's uniform coats. The blue band around the cap includes blue fabric extending upward on the front of the crown to serve as a backing behind the device. In the case of enlisted personnel, this extension is a blue circle identical to that on the caps of naval officers and chief petty officers. In the case of commissioned officers, however, the extension is a more elaborate polygon to accommodate the officers' cap device.[citation needed][20]
Unlike their naval counterparts, coast guardsmen below the rank of chief petty officer wear combination covers; their cap device is a golden representation of the Coast Guard emblem. Coast Guard chief petty officers' cap devices match those of the Navy, albeit with a shield on the front of the fouled anchor; like Navy chiefs, their cap devices are enlarged renderings of the rank insignia worn on their collars. Coast Guard officers' cap device is an eagle with wings outstretched, above an anchor grasped horizontally in its talons.[citation needed][21]
United States Marine Corps
In the United States Marine Corps, these caps, bearing a cap badge of the Corps' Eagle, Globe, and Anchor (EGA) device, are worn in two forms.
For blue dress uniforms, the cap is white with a gloss black visor. The enlisted version features a black chin strap and is worn with an all-gold EGA device, while the officer version features a gold and scarlet chinstrap and a gold and silver EGA device. In addition, officers wear a lace cross on the top, called the quatrefoil, a traditional mark of distinction enabling sharpshooters aboard ships to identify friendly officers from foes.[citation needed]
For the
In the United States Navy, midshipmen, chief petty officers, and commissioned officers wear combination covers, but there are differences between the three types. In general, the cap has a rigid framed crown with a cloth cover, a black hatband that extends to a semicircle on the grant to support a badge device, a glossy black visor, and a chinstrap secured by two gold colored buttons that match the buttons of the wearer's service dress uniform.[23]
Midshipmen at the
The covering fabric is khaki for use with the service khaki uniform or in white for use with blue and white uniforms (the use of blue fabric for use with blue uniforms was discontinued in 1963). Since October 2018 the same cap style is used by both males and females.[25]
Civilian usage
Public safety officers, such as those from the police, fire department, ambulance service, and
A number of civilian professions—the most notable modern examples being
The original civilian variant of the peaked cap was widely worn by sailors and workers from the mid 19th century onwards. These were made of wool or canvas, and sometimes waterproofed with tar. During the 1960s, blue denim
Peaked caps are also commonly worn around the world by some railway, or airport staff (baggage porters, but often wearing kepi type cap), bus drivers and security guards. A peaked cap is a part of the
Student caps in Northern and Central European countries are frequently peaked caps. The student caps in Nordic countries are traditionally white (summer uniform) or black (winter uniform) but the colors of the bands, lining, tassels and cockades differ, depending on the school or the faculty. In German-speaking countries and in Poland, Estonia and Latvia, student caps come in a variety of colors, depending on the colors of the student organization or the school, and can be decorated with its zirkel (a monogram).
Canada
The uniforms for several civilian services in Canada incorporate a peaked cap. The Canadian Coast Guard shares a similar cap and colours with the Royal Canadian Navy.
Police forces across Canada also wear a peaked cap as a part of their dress uniforms and/or operational uniforms. Police peaked caps are typically coloured black with colour cap band. The RCMP uses a yellow cap band, the Ontario Provincial Police uses a blue colour cap band, and the Sûreté du Québec uses a green band with yellow piping. Several other municipal police services in Canada use a red colour cap band.
Hong Kong and Macau
The peaked cap and peaked hat are worn as formal dress by members of the
Members of the Hong Kong Sea Cadet Corps, Hong Kong Adventure Corps and Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps (including the Ceremonial Squadron) use the British-based cap.
The dress uniforms for the
United Kingdom
Peaked caps are used by a number of civilian services in the United Kingdom. His Majesty's Prison Service and British ambulance services do not currently issue peaked caps to be worn on duty, although they formerly did so. However, peaked caps are still worn with formal uniform on ceremonial occasions.
Police
Basic headgear for male police officers in the UK is a peaked cap. This includes a cap badge and generally has a black and white diced band (called Sillitoe tartan) around the cap. Caps worn by traffic police officers have white crowns or covers. Female officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland also wear a peaked cap of a different shape; the same pattern was also worn by female officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and formerly by female officers of some other British police forces.
Caps are also part of the uniforms of male police community support officers (PCSOs), who wear a plain light blue band.
Ministry of Defence Guard Service
The Ministry of Defence Guard Service currently issues a peaked cap that is a dark shade of navy blue with a leather chin strap and MGS cap badge on the front to all of its male officers. Female officers are issued with a peaked cap of a different shape similar to that of female soldiers. Dog section officers traditionally wear a beret.[26]
The cap badge consists of the Ministry of Defence emblem in the centre backed by silver with a navy blue border encircling the emblem that contains text that reads 'Ministry of Defence Guard Service', all below a crown.
Fire services
Members of British fire services wear standard peaked caps. Female members wear identical caps to male members. Before the Second World War, some British fire brigades, including the London Fire Brigade, wore the peakless Brodrick cap, which had formerly been worn by the British Army. However, when all fire brigades were amalgamated into the National Fire Service in 1941 it adopted the peaked cap, and this was retained when it was disbanded in 1948 and separate fire brigades were again formed by each local authority.
United States
Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and NOAA Commissioned Corps
The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps—the two small services, consisting only of officers, which are the two uniformed services that are not armed forces—wear uniforms and rank insignia adopted from the United States Navy. The combination covers of the two services are identical to those of the Navy with respect to colors, and peak ornamentation. The chinstrap of the PHS is gold with a burgundy stripe. The buttons securing the chin strap to the sides of the band are smaller versions of the buttons worn on the services' uniform coats. The cap device of NOAACC officers is similar to that of Navy officers with a globe in place of the shield; the cap device of PHSCC officers is similar to that of Navy officers but has a caduceus in place of one of the anchors.[27][28]
United States Maritime Service
While the majority of American merchant mariners are employed by shipping businesses and accordingly wear either uniforms prescribed by their employers or civilian attire, some officers receive commissions in the United States Maritime Service for federal government duty, such as the faculty of the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the Military Sealift Command's civilian officers manning non-commissioned United States Naval Ships. These officers wear uniforms and rank insignia adopted from the U.S. Navy, albeit with United States Merchant Marine's own button design, cap device, awards, and decorations. The combination covers these officers are identical to those of naval officer with respect to colors, chinstrap and peak ornamentation. The buttons securing the chin strap to the sides of the band are smaller versions of the buttons worn on their coats. The USMS cap device is a rendering of the Merchant Marine device in gold- and silver-colored metal. Like the device worn by naval officers, it features a silver eagle, with wings outstretched, above a gold shield; the shield, however, is defaced with an anchor and surrounded by a wreath.
Variants
A typical peaked cap has a spring stiffening, often in the form of a wire grommet frame, to ensure the sides and rear of the fabric covering have the proper shape. A crusher cap removes the stiffener to allow headphones to be worn over the hat or use in confined spaces such as tanks and submarines, giving it a slouched and worn "crushed" appearance. Such modified caps were especially popular among US Army Air Force's combat pilots and German tank commanders and submariners in the Second World War.
A mariner's cap is another form of headwear similar to a peaked cap.
References
- ^ "North Korea Dances the Lambeth Walk". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ Farmer, Ben; Krol, Charlotte; Midgley, Robert (April 3, 2017). "What is North Korea's military might?". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Australian Army ASOD, volume 2, part 3, chapter 1 (before September 2010)" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 20, 2007. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
- ^ "Royal Australian Air Force Insignia and Uniforms". Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
- ^ "Uniform instructions for the Royal Australian Navy" (PDF). Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
- ^ Canadian Forces Dress Instructions A-DH-265-000/AG-001. Chief of the Defence Staff. 1 June 2011. p. 5-1-3.
- ^ "Chapter 5 Paragraph 2: Headdress Policy". Canadian Forces Dress Instructions. Department of National Defence. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ "Chapter 3 Section 2: Rank insignia and appointment badges". Canadian Forces Dress Instructions. Department of National Defence. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Chefskifte i Flyvertaktisk Kommando under flot parade". Danish Defence. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ "Marinehuggerten var oprindelig en rytterpallask". navalhistory.dk. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ "Police-Polizei-Carabi..." designdenhaag.eu. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ "Viggo blev hentet med blå blink". jv.dk. Jydske Vestkysten. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ Zentrale Dienstvorschrift 37/10 "Anzugordnung für die Soldaten der Bundeswehr" Chapter 4 Section I
- ^ "The Wartime Memories Project - The Second World War - Those Who Served". wartimememoriesproject.com.
- ^ Illustration of the Royal Marines female cap
- ^ "58th Medium Regt Royal Artillery 1940". www.wargunner.co.uk.
- ^ "British Armed Forces & National Service". www.britisharmedforces.org.
- ^ Civil Air Patrol (26 June 2014). "Civil Air Patrol Uniform Manual". Civil Air Patrol. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia" (PDF).
- ^ "Uniform Regulations" (PDF).
- ^ "Uniform Regulations" (PDF).
- ^ http://www.marines.mil/Portals/59/Publications/MCO%20P1020.34G%20W%20CH%201-5.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "3501.9". www.mynavyhr.navy.mil. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ "4311 - Officer Headgear". www.mynavyhr.navy.mil. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ NAVY UNIFORM POLICY UPDATE, CNO WASHINGTON DC, dated 26 January 2017, last accessed 10 November 2018
- ^ MOD Guard Service, GOV.UK. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ "Proper Uniform Wear" (PDF). Junior Officer Advisory Group PROPER UNIFORM WEAR Communications and Publications Committee Uniform Sub-Committee. US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Chapter 12 PART 6-Insignia, Medals, and Ribbon Bars" (PDF). NOAA Corps Directives. NOAA Commissioned Corps. p. 3. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
External links
- Media related to Peaked cap at Wikimedia Commons