Description
Reproduction of the m/22 Field Hat.
History
m/22 Field Hat was the first widely issued hat of the Finnish military. The first models were issued in 1919 and continued to be made until about 1928. The hat went through some changes over time and there is great variation between the different manufacturers and years, all still following the basic style. Most notably, the early hats had a vent in the back with hooks, allowing for the sides to be folded down. Later the vent disappeared and the hat got lower in profile. Even though the hat was officially not in use during the Second World War, it saw plenty of use early war and occasionally later in the war.
The cavalry one differs from the “generic branch” one by having a leather chin strap. The strap is to be used under the chin when riding, otherwise it was supposed to be tucked inside the hat. How this was supposed to be done is a mystery to us! Most photos show the strap worn either across to top or in the front, over the button.
The cavalry one was used by cavalry, dragoons and the horse-drawn field artillery.
Our reproduction
We’ve opted to make a later style m/22 Field Hat, which is more suitable for World War 2 impressions. The hat has been patterned from a few originals from our collections. The side panels are faux and don’t really fold down, being mostly cosmetic. The side panels are fastened with two copper coat of arms buttons and there is a large copper coat of arms button in the front. The polished black leather chin strap fastens with two small copper coat of arms buttons as well. The liner is grey cotton and has the manufacturer and size stamped to it, similar to originals.
It’s highly recommended to order one size smaller, if you want to use the hat cocked to one side. Enlisted men would use the sheet metal national cockade with the hat, where as the NCO would use enamel national cockades.
