Original Item: Only One Available. Forage cap is the designation given to various types of military undress, fatigue or working headwear. These vary widely in form, according to country or period. The coloured peaked cap worn by the modern British Army for parade and other dress occasions is still officially designated as a forage cap.

This forage cap is an excellent example of the Belgian M1916 forage cap which still retains the regimental number on the front left side, a 5 with red felt underneath it indicating the 5th Regiment of the Line. The cap itself is in wonderful condition with few flaws. The red pom-pom still hangs well off of the front of the cap. The 5th saw combat through all of World War I.

A wonderful example ready for further research and display.

At the outbreak of the First World War Belgium was in the process of reforming her military aiming to create a wartime establishment of some 340,000 men however, this was not due to be completed until the mid 1920s. The reforms saw the introduction of conscription in 1909 with conscripts serving for fifteen months, new small arms including the excellent Mauser Model 1889 adopted and new uniforms were under consideration. But by August 1914, no new field uniform had been adopted and the Belgian infantryman still wore more or less what his predecessors had worn since 1850.