eNOTES

WW1 Turkish Headgear

Dr Chris Flaherty Updated Research Notes 7 June 2012

www.ottoman-uniforms.com

eNOTES WW1 Turkish Headgear Dr Chris Flaherty: Updated Research Notes 7 June 2012

INTRODUCTION This updated research note: ‘WW1 Turkish Headgear’, attempts to bring together the available information, pictures and articles producing a comprehensive outline of the all types of headgear, covers and insignia used during WW1 by the Ottoman Imperial Army and Imperial Ottoman Navy1. Fundamentally, this study shows that only a limited range of headgear was actually used. These are:

1 1876 till 1908 Imperial Army Headgear

2 1876 Helmet of the Firemen Regiment

3 Post-1909 Imperial Army Officer’s Kabalak

4 Post-1914 Officer’s Sunhat

5 Post-1908 Imperial Army Soldier’s Kalpak

6 Post-1913 Imperial Army Soldier’s Kabalak

7 Post-1916 Imperial Army Bashlik

8 Post-1909 Imperial Army Officer’s Kalpak

9 Covers and Insignia

10 Imperial Ottoman Navy Officers’ Caps

11 Imperial Ottoman Navy Sailors’ Caps

12 Yildirim Army Group Steel Helmet

13 Fakes

1. 1876 TILL 1908 IMPERIAL ARMY HEADGEAR In 1247 (1832), a decree of Sultan Mahmud II declared the Fez to be the Ottoman national headdress. To be worn by civilians and military alike. Till 1909, Imperial Army and Navy uniforms did not include provision for headdress, till introduction of the M1909 kalpak (for the Army). Example 1 (Below): However, around 1880s the Ottoman Dragoons and Field Artillery adopted the lambwool cap (which later developed into the M1909 kalpak), which was similar to the Russian cossacks’ fleece cap. It should be noted that from 1876, the Ottoman’s Karapapak tribal cavalry (who emigrated from Azerbaijan, in the 1820s) wore the traditional Russian cossacks’ uniform, and are the likely source for this introduction.

1 The Author, Chris Flaherty, lives in London, and has a long-term interest in militaria collecting, curation, preservation and research. He has written several articles on WW1 Ottoman militaria history. He can be contacted via email [email protected]

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It may also be the case, that in earlier periods headgear of this type was being used following the 1832 establishment of the Imperial Army. As General Vanson in the Crimean War (1854-56) 2, illustrated these (Examples 2 - Below):

Example 3 (Below): illustrating a pre 1900 period gun crew shows these men wearing early black sheepskin Kalpak, with either a red or blue cloth tops.

2. 1876 HELMET OF THE FIREMEN REGIMENT Example 4 (Below - right): A picture of the only 'known' steel helmet used by the Imperial Army, prior to WW1. Likely to have originated between 1861 and 18763, this helmet was used into WW1, for the Imperial Guard Fireman Regiment. Three features are relevant here, such use of the ball final (itself sitting on a brass rosette base), and the helmet completely lacquered red, and the display of the 'Order of Orta' (Crescent) badge. One of the few English written sources that actually provide a description for this frequently illustrated and photographed badge is E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam 1913-1936, ‘History of the

2 Flaherty, C. (2011) Ottoman Uniforms of the Crimean War. SOTQ. Issue 147 (December,): 16-27. 3 B. Tasyakan. (2008) The volunteer firefighters of İstanbul, 1826-1923 [İstanbul'un gönüllü tulumbacıları, 1826-1923]. Masters Thesis, Bogazici University, Turkey: 50; E.J. Brill. (1936) First Encyclopaedia of Islam 1913-1936: Vol. IV: 53. “History of the Regiment of Firemen.”: 833; Chris Flaherty. (2010) Ottoman Army Specialist Insignia. The Armourer Militaria Magazine, Issue 99 (May-June, 2010): 90-91.

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Regiment of Firemen’ (page 53). The Orta badge was also mounted on both the Fez, and the M1909 black sheepskin Kalpak, as well as used by the Imperial Guard’s Regiment of Firemen. Example 4 (Below - left): A known original Orta badge from WW1. Nicolle’s Ottoman Infantryman 1914-18 identifies this badge as well, with students from the Military Academy, who have been deployed on active service during the war as probationary officers.4

3. POST-1909 IMPERIAL ARMY OFFICER’S KABALAK The following text is extracted from - militarysunhelmets.com http://www.militarysunhelmets.com/2012/ottoman-turkish-sun-helmets-the- kabalak#more-321 Ottoman Sun Helmets: The Kabalak Posted on April 29, 2012 by Dr. Chris Flaherty To discuss the Turkish Kabalak, we must firstly dispel a few myths; some 40 years ago a book on German steel helmets accidentally transposed the Ottoman contracted M18 helmet, with a visorless version (which made its first appearance after World War I in the hands of the German Freikorps units), both of which had been made by Eisenhüttenwerk Thale.5 The original quote which began this confusion (from Stahlhelm: A History of the German Steel Helmet, Floyd R. Tubbs (1971, 2000): 24), inaccurately: • Links the helmet design with the 1247 (European date of 1832) decree of Sultan Mahmud II declaring the Fez to be the Ottoman national headdress; as well as, • Largely fabricated some supposed contract clause, that required the head gear used in the Ottoman Imperial Army have no peaks, so that soldiers wearing them would be able to touch their foreheads to the ground during prayer (without the need to remove their helmets).

4 David Nicolle. (2010) Ottoman Infantryman 1914-18. Osprey Publishing. 5 Flaherty, C. (2011) WW1 Ottoman Steel Helmets. The Armourer Militaria Magazine, Issue 104 (March-April, 2011): 36-38.

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Notwithstanding, well back into the 16th Century, a large frontal peak (to shield the eyes from sun glare) has been a distinctive feature of Ottoman -period Turkish armoured helmets, made by the imperial workshops in Constantinople (later Istanbul). And in WWI, a number of sun helmets, like the ‘Kabalak’ were developed for the Ottoman Imperial Army.

The ‘Kabalak’ or ‘Enver’ Under the 1908 Army reforms the ‘Kabalak’ or ‘Enver’ as it has become known was introduced. Typically, it has been said that Turkish Kabalaks came in various forms, some had an internal frame with material wound around, while others were apparently made from heavy canvas-like material. None of this is entirely correct, and many of the misconceptions about this particular headgear can be traced back to a clear misreading of the original description given in the 1916 Turkish Army Handbook: “The cap is a khaki kalpak with a distinctive top or dome the same color as the coat collars. Officers have gold (non-combatants silver) ornamental bands on the crowns. But the rank and file were supplied in 1913 and 1914 with a new head-covering (bashlik), a long strip of khaki cloth tied spirally on the head and forming a sort of soft helmet, which can easily be mistaken for the British khaki helmet in a bad light. It is however, more pointed and falls particularly in front and behind.”6 There is a footnote to this description, stating that the “bashlik” is also, “known as the Enverie or ‘Enver Helmet’ after the war minister who introduced it”. However, this paragraph is actually describing two entirely different types of headgear, as will be seen.

Example 5 (Left): A high quality Kabalak displayed in the National Turkish Army Museum, Istanbul. This not only has a brass spike attached on top, supported by a strong ridged frame. It also displays a quality brass ‘Order of Orta’ crescent badge. The wrapped earflaps are fully lined and edged with tape. Example 6 (Below - left): Displayed in the National Turkish Army Museum, Istanbul, another of the ‘spiked’ Kabalaks, with the Order of Orta’ crescent badge. More of the internal fixtures are shown as well, and this is fully lined with a chinstrap attached to the sweatband inside. Examples 7-8 (Right, and below - left): these are WW1-period pictures of various officers wearing high quality Kabalaks similar to the above examples, 7 however without a badge or spike attached.

6 British General Staff. (1995) 1916 Handbook of the Turkish Army. Battery Press, Nashville: 50. 7 Tunca Orses. Necmettin Ozcelik. (2007) Dunya Savasi'nda Turk Askeri Kiyafetleri 1914- 1918. Militärmuseum, Istanbul.

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Example 9 (Below - right): An Artillery officer, indicated by the grenade badges on the collar. This illustrates the cord ties (on the fount above the wearer’s brow), which are sometimes visible on examples. These secure the ends of the earflaps. Note with this example, the peak of the headgear is almost non-existent. And this is closer in design to a solder’s version (described below).

Example 10 (Below): Displayed in the National Turkish Army Museum, Istanbul, is the underside of these higher quality Kabalak. This shows the internal arrangements. This is fully lined with a chinstrap attached to the sweatband inside.

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Example 11 (Left): Is a period picture showing the rear of these high quality Kabalak, and the cord ties are clearly visible on examples. These secure the ends of the earflaps.

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4. POST-1914 OFFICER’S SUNHAT Example 12 (Below): Displayed in the Imperial War Museum, this version, which has a ridged framed (UNI 12390. URL: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30100200). The museum catalogue states:

"Worn by Muzalim-l-Sani (2nd Lieutenant) Abedine Houchemi of the 2nd Turkish Infantry Regiment. The 2nd Infantry served in the Gallipoli peninsula during the British landings, and later went to Syria where Houchemi deserted, surrendering himself to the Allies." This sunhat appears to have been a popular alternative to the Kabalaks. It has an identical construction, without the wrapped earflaps.

Example 13 (Below): Another picture of the IWM hat being worn.

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Examples 14-15 (Below): Two WW1-period pictures of officers wearing the sunhat8.

Example 16 (Left): The sunhat also came in a ‘soft version’, and due to the wide brim is often pictured with the fount brim folded up9. This was to give the wearer unencumbered vision.

8 Tunca Orses. Necmettin Ozcelik. (2007) Dunya Savasi'nda Turk Askeri Kiyafetleri 1914- 1918. Militärmuseum, Istanbul. 9 Tunca Orses. Necmettin Ozcelik. (2007) Dunya Savasi'nda Turk Askeri Kiyafetleri 1914- 1918. Militärmuseum, Istanbul.

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5. POST-1908 IMPERIAL ARMY SOLDIER’S KALPAK Example 17 (Below): From an Australian private collection, is an example of the post-1908 Imperial Army soldier’s brown lamb wool khaki kalpak (introduced in 1908). This was identical to the pre-1908 Artillery/Dragoon versions. Likewise pictured examples, appears to have had a ridged frame, likely of woven reed, and a distinctive top or dome the same colour as the coat collars (see the table below).

This version, displayed on http://militarianz.freeforums.org/post11868.html#p11868 is understood to be a Gallipoli ’bring-back’ Turkish hat. This appears to be variation of the 1908 brown lamb wool khaki kalpak. And is for the infantry, as it displays a grey top or dome, and as this is a soldiers' version, no lace was displayed.

These version has been made like EXAMPLE 31 – further discussed in the next section) as it is made from artificial wool; effectively made from woven wool, and made the exact same way as carpet or rug weaving. Also note the interior is constructed the same way as EXAMPLE 31, with the same 'x' pattern formed by stitching the sides together to form the crown. This hat looks to be a cheaper version of the original 1908 lot. It is largely identical in size to the fez.

These branch colours are illustrated in Example 18 (Below): table of Imperial Army collar branch colours, would have matched the kalpak top or dome for officers and soldiers alike.

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6. POST-1913 IMPERIAL ARMY SOLDIER’S KABALAK Example 19 (Below): From an Australian private collection, is a typical example of the post- 1913 Army soldier’s Kabalak, which replaced the brown lamb wool khaki kalpak (introduced in 1908).

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7. POST-1916 IMPERIAL ARMY BASHLIK Example 20 (Below): Is the post-1916 Army Bashlik, which is displayed in the Imperial War Museum. This item appears connected to the Turkish Steel helmet in the Imperial War Museum’s collection. The catalogue notes on this Turkish M16 Helmet (number UNI 12244), stating that these helmets were associated with the “Yildirim” Army Group (made up from the former Fourth, Seventh and Eighth armies, as well as 6,000 German soldiers). Yıldırım translates roughly as "thunderbolt", and the name was taken from the nickname of Sultan

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Bayezid I; this particular Army Group was organized in early 1917 by Enver Paşa to defend the Eastern Front in WW110.

Example 21 (Left): Illustrates a detailed replica of the Bashlik, which is almost identical to the Russian type of the period. This is the base pattern for the cap described above. This rarely seen view shows what these caps look like when unwound, to tie across the face for additional warmth.

The M1909 Ottoman ‘Kabalak’ or 'Enveriye' helmet was designed as a cane-wood frame with two lengths of cloth wrapped about it. This traditional form of Anatolian folk headgear underwent a radical transformation during the war, and this coincided with the introduction of the German M16 converted helmet.

This change consisted of a cap being issued, cut to a similar shape as the original Kabalak, however being made in one piece from thick blanket wool. The modification appears to allow this type of cap to be easily inserted (as has been tested) into the German M16 converted

10 Web sources suggest about 170,000 helmets (presumably the altered German M16) were provided to the Ottoman Army in WW1. However, this figure seems very high. The Yildirim Army Group at the Battle of Megiddo (1918) fielded a force of 3,000 mounted troops, and 32,000 infantry, many of whom appear to have been provided with helmets.

PAGE 12 eNOTES WW1 Turkish Headgear Dr Chris Flaherty: Updated Research Notes 7 June 2012 helmet. It is interesting to note that one of the problems with the use of the M16 helmet in extreme climates is that its bare steel could cause severe cold or heat burns and perhaps the modification to the Kabalak at this time was a cheap measure to avert these problems, providing soldiers equipped with the German M16 Steel Helmet, some means of insulating these. It should be noted that in Germany, a period criticism of the M16 was that the hollow ventilation lugs let-in cold air during winter, and soldiers often had to pug these with mud or cloth.

Example 22 (Left): The Imperial War Museum’s Turkish steel helmet.

These helmets were associated with the “Yildirim” Army Group (made up from the former Fourth, Seventh and Eighth armies, as well as 6,000 German soldiers). Section 12 looks at these in more detail.

Example 23 (Left - below): Displayed in the Australian War Memorial, this cap is likely a Bashlik –type as well. Example 24 (Right - below): Shows the previous example (a post- 1913 Army soldier’s Kabalak), this rarely seen view shows what these caps look like when unwound, to tie across the face for additional warmth.

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Note that the there is an additional band of cloth serving as the holder for when the earflaps are returned to their original position, wrapped under this.

8. POST-1909 IMPERIAL ARMY OFFICER’S KALPAK

Example 25 (Left): Displayed in the Budapest Army Museum from the Balkan War period (1912-1913), this officers’ black wool Kalpak displays a red top for staff officers, with the gold tape six-point star. With a decorative button placed centrally. This was added as well, as the metallic tape is often only attached at the ends where it disappears behind the outer wool covering. This was to aid the cap being folded flat. Some caps have greater amounts of internal stiffening which preclude this action. As well, some Kalpak are actually constructed over a woven reed frame, much the same as the Fez.

Example 26 (Left): Displayed in the National Turkish Army Museum, Istanbul, is an identical version Kalpak, however in grey/brown wool. This variation is often seen.

It should be noted that in all these examples, the lace and buttons are gold (indicating the combat arm of the Imperial Army). In the case of the non-combat roles such as a medical officer, the lace and button would be silver and the top or dome black in colour.

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Example 27 (Below): Sold in 2011 by http://www.hermann-historica.de this high quality Kalpak made in Egypt prior to 1914 (which was still part of the Ottoman Empire). This can be confirmed with the display of the pre-1914 Khedive of Egypt crest on the high quality sweatband. Note the rich cherry red silk interior lining. The Green top denotes the rifles/machine-gun units in the Imperial Army.

Example 28 (Left): A high quality officer’s Kolpak with the red top, and the ‘winged’ star and crescent badge denoting a pilot. Other badges typically displayed were the the Orta badge (worn on both the M1909 Kalpak, and the keffiyet agel of the Ottoman Arab Cavalry/Camel Corps in WW1).

Example 29 (Below): From the Enis M.I. Pinar Collection11, shows a high quality officers’ Kalpak made by a Turkish-European company in Constantinople, which can be identified from the European trade-name (which may in fact be a Turkish name of ‘Sonlick Tuz’) displayed on the brown leather sweatband, and by the Ottoman coat of arms printed in silver on the lining.

11 The Enis M.I. Pinar Collection (Fort Lauderdale / Washington, DC).

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It should be noted that this version has a typical dome appearance, and the button is large and rounded. These are features of the Kalpak made prior to WW1. As well, note the extra- highlight red used as a personnel addition to the officer’s lace.

Example 30 (Below): Photographs of WW1 period Gendarmerie (and this may include the various small civic police formations), and as well Government Officials who are wearing the M1909 Kalpak, show them wearing the Ottoman star and crescent badge (see example ‘A’ below). This badge was in white or yellow metal and ranged between 4 to 6cm in circumference.

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Example 31-32 (Right, and below): From an Australian private collection, is an example of a poorer quality 1913 –period Kolpak (as it is believed this item came from the Turkish-Italian War in Libya in 1913). It is made from artificial wool; effectively made from woven wool, and made the exact same way as carpet or rug weaving (pictured right). The faded top is either –blue, which denotes the artillery; or it is green which identified the rifles or machine-gun units.

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Example 33 (Right): Shows the interior of a Kalpak constructed over a woven reed frame, much the same as the Fez. It is covered with artificial wool; effectively made from woven wool, and made the exact same way as carpet or rug weaving.

The folded wire at the base of this example is holding the ‘top’ button in place.

Ventilation Holes Example 34 (Below): Shows both ends of the ventilation holes often (but not all the time) encountered in Kalpaks.

9. COVERS AND INSIGNIA

Example 35 (Below): Is a collection of pictures of various WW1-period Ottoman officers and soldiers displaying a variety of headgear insignia. The most common insignia displayed on the Kalpak, convalescence caps or the agal.

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Example 36 (Left): This is a picture of Enver Pasha prior to WW1 (likely from his 1908 stay in Berlin as a military attaché), and he is wearing is the standard lamb wool Kalpak, with a tailored cover, incorporating a neck flap. Which is almost identical to the British in Egypt versions, introduced for the fez. The practice of wearing light khaki fez covers began with the British supply of these to Turko-Egyptian and Sudanese soldiers from the 1880s, to cover the red fez worn, and these covers usually had variously coloured flashed to identify individual units.

Example 37 (Below): This is an image of Turkish troops in 1912, at the battle of Kumanovo, note that one of the soldiers laying to the right of the group is wearing a similar badge, to this example of an Ottoman Fez cover (from the Budapest Army museum), with crude stitched-on red cloth star and crescent badge.

Example 38 (Below-left): Two pre-WW1 signallers. These soldiers are wearing light colour cloth fez with crescent badges. These again are assumed to be red cloth appliqué stitching as well. These images illustrate a common practice among Ottoman infantry to add to the light brown fez covers either a red crescent, or the star and crescent.

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Example 39 (Left): A WW1-period red cross picture post card, depicting a wounded Turkish soldier carried by an orderly from the ‘Red Crescent Society’ (the Red Cross equivalent medical service in Turkey in WW1). This depicts an additional ‘Red Crescent Society’ collar patch, attached to the front of the orderly’s Kabalak/Bashlik.

10. IMPERIAL OTTOMAN NAVY OFFICERS’ CAPS Example 40 (Below): In the 1914-1923 period, the Ottoman Imperial Navy officers typically wore a red Fez, as well as adopting a pill-box cap.

The Ottoman Imperial Navy officers’ pill- box cap came in both white and black top versions. Both versions had a lower band or wide gold-gilt tape. It was also fitted with a black leather chinstrap. The main peculiarity of the Ottoman Imperial Navy officers’ pill-box cap, was the 'bump' appearing at the top, and inside from the front edge above the officer's badge, as can be seen illustrated in this picture. Various badge patters can be seen (Example 41 – Below):

A. 1914-1923 Ottoman Imperial Navy officers’ badge on white top cap. B. 1914-1923 Ottoman Imperial Navy officers’ badge on white black cap (same version as ‘A’). C. 1914-1923 Ottoman Imperial Navy officers’ badge on white top cap. In particular, this variation has a ‘dragoons’ teeth patterned edge, and the ‘open’ floral design to the wreath.

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11. IMPERIAL OTTOMAN NAVY SAILORS’ CAPS Examples 42 (Below): When the SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau were transferred to Ottoman service in 1914, their crews continued to wear the same German naval uniforms as before, but replacing their usual naval caps with an Ottoman red felt fez with a black tassel. They continued to wear this combination of German and Ottoman uniforms on board ship throughout WW1, though some period photographs show them wearing still their old German caps. However, note the German sailor on the right wearing an Imperial Ottoman Navy ratings cap. Note, as well, the Ottoman sailor on the left, and the peculiar 'bump' (the same as on Ottoman Navy Officer's caps), which may be a Fez tassel; which means that the Imperial Ottoman Navy ratings cap, may in fact be a cover that has been pulled over a Fez, as at this time the red Fez was still part of the uniform.

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Example 43 (Left): Several different cap tallies have been seen in modern collections such as "S.K.O.M.O.S. JAVOUS SULTAN SELIM I." for the renamed SMS Goeben and "S.M.S. MIDILLI" for the renamed SMS Breslau (see the Turkish Militaria website).

According to "Dunya Savasi'nda Turk Askeri Kiyafetleri 1914-1918" by Tunca Orses and Necmettin Ozcelik, a cap tally was issued which read "Türkische Marine" or "Osmanische Türkische Marine", as the sailors were now officially in the Ottoman navy (Page 110).12

Extracted from a German publication more examples of the headgear tally for various ships in the German Contingent - Imperial Ottoman Navy (the Osmanische Türkische Marine).13

12. YILDIRIM ARMY GROUP STEEL HELMET Example 44 (Below): Flaherty, C. (2011) WW1 Ottoman Steel Helmets. The Armourer Militaria Magazine, Issue 104 (March-April): 36-38. The main elements of the steel helmets use: • The first evidence we have of Ottoman troops using steel helmets in WW1, is photography of the troops from the XV Army Corps, which arrived on 10 July 1916, when sent to Galicia. These troops are all wearing un-modified German M16 helmets. • The Ottoman received (in unknown numbers) a cut down German M16 helmet. Ottoman army use of steel helmets appears limited, and most sources indicate (for instance, the Imperial War Museum’s catalogue notes on their Turkish M16 Helmet: number UNI 12244) that these helmets were associated with the “Yildirim” Army Group (made up from the former Fourth, Seventh and Eighth armies, as well as 6,000 German soldiers).

• The second type of helmet used by the Ottoman Army is a German made M18, by the firm - Eisenhüttenwerk Thale. It is not known who first placed this order – the Germans or the Ottoman government. It appears that Eisenhüttenwerk Thale delivered 5,400 of the helmet (which in some sources is identified incorrectly as the visorless version14), before the Ottoman rejected any more deliveries.

12 Tunca Orses. Necmettin Ozcelik. (2007) Dunya Savasi'nda Turk Askeri Kiyafetleri 1914- 1918. Militärmuseum, Istanbul. 13 Die Mutzenbander der Verbinde der Kaiserlichen Marine im Mittelmeer und auf dem Balkan. 14 Interestingly, the Imperial War Museum’s Collections Catalogue notes, on their M16 Helmet number UNI 12244, describing this as “peakless”. As well, if the helmet was intended as an improvement on the German M16 (which if issued to the Yildirim Army would date these to 1917), then its early cancelation could have been due to the destruction and

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surrender of the remaining Yildirim troops after the Mudros Armistice, which took effect 31 October, 1918.

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13. FAKES Examples 45-46 (Below): Commonly seen today are ex-film-props representing WW1 Turkish Headgear, being sold as original items. Films such as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (1962), and ‘Gallipoli’ (1981) gave rise to a wide range of these. One immediately recognisable feature of these is the crossed and stitched-down cloth tabs displayed on the rear of these hats, inaccurately representing the fold of the ear flaps at the rear.

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