Turkish Soldiers

Chadwick · Post by **Chadwick** » 10 Mar 2004 19:53

Kaan in the modeling section had some excellent pictures of a diorama of the Gallipoli invasion. I was wondering what Turkish helmets were made out of? In the pictures it sort of looks like cloth. Was there some kind of shell lining underneath? -- thanks chris

Kaan Caglar · Post by **Kaan Caglar** » 10 Mar 2004 21:45

Hello Chadwick,
Yes it was a special type of a cloth and it had some shell linings inside and around. The reason why the helmets are different soldier to soldier is that it was not somekind of serial production.
I hope these two photos would help to clear your mind.
Regards
Kaan

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 10 Mar 2004 23:25

Some great photos of the Turkish Army can be found here as well:

http://www.geh.org/ar/chus/turkey/chuss ... :0111:5048

http://www.geh.org/ar/strip07/m197501115131.jpg

http://www.geh.org/ar/strip07/m197501115141.jpg

http://www.geh.org/ar/strip07/m197501115164.jpg

http://www.geh.org/ar/strip07/m197501115337.jpg

Chadwick · Post by **Chadwick** » 11 Mar 2004 04:32

Thank you kaan and moulded for your replies they have answered my questions. Also thanks for the excellent pictures. The Turkish Army in WWI has always interested me, sadly there are so few books on this topic. I did read an excellent book over the summer called Ataturk. Once again thanks for the info. --- chris

Kaan Caglar · Post by **Kaan Caglar** » 11 Mar 2004 18:59

Hello again Chris,
You might also like to visit this thread about a book.
The Turkish caps were also called "Enver Cap". A little note

Cheers
Kaan

michael mills · Post by **michael mills** » 12 Mar 2004 08:12

As I understand it, the "enveriye" consisted of a conical wicker frame, around which a long piece of cloth could be wound. The variations are due to the fact that each soldier could wind the cloth in a different way.

A dark-coloured felt cloth was used for winter, and a light-coloured cotton cloth was used for summer.

There was also a version of the enveriye that was made as a formed cap, ie not as a length of cloth, and had ear-flaps. In the Australian War Memorial Museum here in Canberra. there is a mannequin of an Ottoman soldier wearing this kind of enveriye.

Yet another version looked like a sailor's sou'wester.

Chadwick · Post by **Chadwick** » 12 Mar 2004 08:45

thanks again kaan and mr. mills. -- chris

Abdul Hadi Pasha · Post by **Abdul Hadi Pasha** » 12 Mar 2004 18:30

michael mills wrote:As I understand it, the "enveriye" consisted of a conical wicker frame, around which a long piece of cloth could be wound. The variations are due to the fact that each soldier could wind the cloth in a different way.

A dark-coloured felt cloth was used for winter, and a light-coloured cotton cloth was used for summer.

There was also a version of the enveriye that was made as a formed cap, ie not as a length of cloth, and had ear-flaps. In the Australian War Memorial Museum here in Canberra. there is a mannequin of an Ottoman soldier wearing this kind of enveriye.

Yet another version looked like a sailor's sou'wester.

That's my understanding as well; supposedly Enver had an interest in the mill that produced them and he got a cut for every one sold...

I don't like them personally; I prefer the Kalpak, which is much cooler looking (well, not literally).