Pre 1937 Japanese Chakasshoku Tea Brown Special Navy Landing Force Hat Cover

This is a very, very, rare, cap/hat cover authorized for wear by all Japanese Navy ground based forces, including the Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF), from the Summer of 1929 to the Summer of 1937.

EARLY JAPANESE NAVAL SHORE-BASED SUMMER UNIFORMS

In the early days of Japanese land operations in China, all ranks of the SNLF initially wore standard black (winter) or white (summer) uniforms.

While the black wool uniforms were somewhat adequate for colder weather combat operations in China, the white uniforms were entirely inadequate for land campaigns. These standard issue white, ship-based, uniforms simply provided zero camouflage and were actually a liability to sailors fighting the Chinese.

As a result, on June 7, 1929, in response to requests for a uniform color more suitable than white, the Japanese Navy finally authorized land-based personnel in China to begin to dye their issue white hat covers, tunics, shirts and trousers a tea brown color. This color is called chakasshoku 茶褐色 in Japanese.

Thereafter, the top of the standard IJN black wool officer’s or petty officer’s peaked cap or the sailor’s “Donald Duck” wool cap would thereafter be covered with a tea brown dyed cover, instead of white, while engaging the Chinese in land combat. 

These tea brown cap covers were worn for more than eight years, from the Summer of 1929 to the Summer of 1937, when the green wool army style cap was finally authorized by the IJN. 

We have shown examples of these unit dyed uniforms here.

See NAKATA plate 334 for an example of this cover.

Also for illustration, we have posted photographs of several Japanese ground-based sailors wearing this Chakasshoku brown cover on their caps. Note the white T shirts & tunics which clearly contrast with the dyed chakasshoku brown shirts they are wearing.

The final photo shows how IJN Navy caps were initially issued with a white cover. Of course, these are not included.

There are Japanese characters inside this cover as well as a metal clip which appears to be galvanized steel, not brass. 

This lot is only for the cover. The photos are shown for reference only.