Turkish Soldiers

[Chadwick]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

thanks again kaan and mr. mills. -- chris

[Abdul Hadi Pasha]

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).