Third Reich Naval Ratings Cap to Battleship Scharnhorst – Item 104822

Rare summer issue white topped German Naval Ratings cap to the famous German Battleship Scharnhorst. Comes complete with its full length ships cap tally, Naval eagle and cockade metal badge to front. Original leather lined sweatband. Underneath of leather sweatband dated 1938. Sweatband in good condition with only service staining from use at sea. A nice “been there” cap to this scarce battleship.

Note:  Scharnhorst and Gneisenau operated together for much of the early portion of WWII , including sorties into the Atlantic to raid British merchant shipping. During operations off Norway, the two ships engaged the battlecruiser HMS Renown  and sank the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious  as well as her escort destroyers Acasta and Ardent. In that engagement Scharnhorst achieved one of the longest-range naval gunfire hits in history.  During the Battle of the North Cape  (26 December 1943), the  Royal Navy battleship HMS Duke of York  and her escorts sank Scharnhorst. Only 36 men survived, out of a crew of 1,968.