Monday, January 23, 2012

Can you tell what it is yet?




I find the wearing of hats while wargaming a pleasant addition to the hobby. Living with an actress who keeps costumes on hand also helps. With this in mind I've accumulated a number of hats, helmets and other paraphernalia - mostly Eastern European.

I was given this by a friend last year and very handsome it is too. Sadly, I have no idea what it relates to or what sort of kepi it is as it was found in a charity shop.

Any ideas, gentlemen?
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16 comments:

  1. J. LeeuwensteynJanuary 23, 2012 at 7:13 AM

    French is the first thing comes into mind :)

    French gendarmerie??

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  2. J. LeeuwensteynJanuary 23, 2012 at 7:14 AM

    French is the first that thing that comes into mind :)

    French gendarmerie??

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cité-en-jeuxJanuary 23, 2012 at 8:03 AM

    It looks like a french gendarme's Képi.

    STéphane

    ReplyDelete
  4. Cité-en-jeuxJanuary 23, 2012 at 8:04 AM

    It looks like a french gendarme's Képi.

    STéphane

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dr VesuviusJanuary 23, 2012 at 8:23 AM

    I do believe that is a Gendarmerie kepi, compared to some of the pics on this page..
    http://namtiti.free.fr/echange/france/page_01.htm

    ReplyDelete
  6. SiabaJanuary 23, 2012 at 8:36 AM

    It looks like a modern french gendarme (paramilitary police) kepi.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Tim GowJanuary 23, 2012 at 10:29 AM

    Good hat! According to the Osprey on the WW1 French Army it may be a Colonial Artillery officer's kepi. I'm a big fan of the use of silly hats in wargames - I must dig out my Soviet admiral's cap for the Fletcher Pratt game this week...

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  8. DonoghJanuary 23, 2012 at 1:43 PM

    A close-up of the badge would help I think

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  9. WSTKS-FM WorldwideJanuary 23, 2012 at 1:47 PM

    Looks like a French policeman's kepi, or maybe an army dress kepi.

    Best Regrds,

    Stokes

    ReplyDelete
  10. old johnJanuary 23, 2012 at 5:11 PM

    I too am a great fan of wearing hats during war games, few years back when we fought Arnhem all players wore appropriate headgear for which ever side they were fighting, as for ACW games i always wear my old Confederate kepi, an' i ain't lost to the Yankees yet!!!

    French kepi does indeed look like a Gendarmes one, last time I had a close look at one was many years ago when got chased by a few Gendarmes in Boulogne in my mad youth back in early 1960s but that's another story!!

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  11. ThomasJanuary 23, 2012 at 7:44 PM

    The flaming grenade is the badge of the Gendarmie nationale eg

    http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/uploaded_images/37gendarmerie_op_800x502-741176.jpg

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  12. abdul666January 23, 2012 at 7:45 PM

    Képi of French Gendarmerie Mobile (riot control):'gold' lace and buttons. If recent, probably of a non-commisioned officer (Maréchal-des-logis # sergeant): officers have a more elaborated embroidery on the top of the cap and rank stripes below the edging tape; privates no longer have top embroidery.

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  13. Brigadier DundasJanuary 23, 2012 at 8:27 PM

    I'll be a contrary soul and suggest it could be Austrian.

    Don

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  14. Steve-the-WargamerJanuary 23, 2012 at 10:08 PM

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flamme-kepi-img_0992.jpg ??

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  15. old johnJanuary 25, 2012 at 9:53 AM

    just had this from a pal in France

    "Next time you communicate with C Kinch, tell him his Kepi is Officer Artillery, people think it is Gendarmerie Mobile (riot police, over here), but the top of the gendarmerie mobile is a lighter blue, his is artillery, when I get the time I will look up exact rank."

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  16. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2023 at 6:15 PM

    look at buttons that will help identify the kepi

    ReplyDelete

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