Särmä Finnish M36 Field Cap

A proper good reproduction of the WW2 era Finnish M36 field cap, also known as the "verikauha" or "blood ladle". A surprisingly functional design, especially for its age, and not too shabby looking either. Made from high-quality wool frieze with Finnish Lion emblem buttons.

Sewn in the EU, in Estonia.

History

The Finnish "verikauha" (= blood ladle, no one knows where the name comes from) is as old as Finland itself. These kinds of caps were first widely issued in the First World War to German and Austro-Hungarian mountain troops. The design was brought to Finland in 1918 by Finnish Jägers returning from training in Germany. From there on it was the go-to field cap design for "White" troops during the Finnish Civil War.

After the Civil War, "verikauha" became the official piece of headwear for Finnish troops. It was used throughout WW2 up to the 21st century with a number of different variants evolving throughout the decades.