| Cloth Headgear Kammerstempel (Issue Stamps) |
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Issue Mannschaften (Other Ranks) cloth headgear were Crown property and were "normally" stamped on issue with any combination of a unit stamp and/or date of issue. The issue stamps are often also stamped with a BA plus a roman numeral which indicates the Bekleidungsamt (Clothing Depots) and the Army Corps. All equipment was issued by Armee-Korps, so each Korps had a supply unit called the Bekleidungsamt (BK) which were clothing depots.
The letter "R" in front of any of the following abbreviations indicates "Reserve", i.e.: "RJR23 BA VI" would indicate "Reserve Infantry Regt Nr. 23 VI Army Corps Clothing Depot. The list below lists the Armee-Korps clothing depots. Note that Armee-Korps XVIII, XX, XXI, and the Bayern III Armee-Korps did not have a Bekleidungsamt (Clothing Depots) but were supplied by other depots.
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BAG: Garde-Korps (Berlin)
BA I: I Armee-Korps (Köenigsberg)
BA II: II Armee-Korps (Stettin)
BA III: III Armee-Korps (Berlin)
BA IV: IV Armee-Korps (Magdeburg)
BA V: V Armee-Korps (Posen)
BA VI: VI Armee-Korps (Breslau)
BA VII / VII Armee-Korps (Münster)
BA VIII: VIII Armee-Korps (Coblenz)
BA IX: IX Armee-Korps (Altona)
BA X: X Armee-Korps (Hannover)
BA XI: XI Armee-Korps (Cassel)
BA XII: XII Armee-Korps (Dresden)
BA XIII: III Armee-Korps Württembergisches AK (Stuttgart)
BA XIV: XIV Armee-Korps (Baden-Baden)
BA XV: XV Armee-Korps (Strassburg)
BA XVI: XVI Armee-Korps (Metz)
BA XVII: XVII Armee-Korps (Danzig)
BA XIX: XIX Armee-Korps (Leipzig) Second Sächsisches Armee-Korps
BAO: China Expeditionary Armee-Korps (Ostasien)
KA: Kolonial Amt (Africa)
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Regarding issue stamps, the German "I" and "J" are often utilized concurrently in German to indicate Infantry. As German nouns are always capitalized, this form of "J" is only found at the beginning of a word to distinguish it from a small "L" as in: ( l ). The "J" does not stand for Jäger unless it is followed by a "B" for Jäger Battalion. If the "J" stamp is found in a Mütze, it indicates Infantry, or Instandsetzungsamt (repair depot).
A comprehensive list of all issued stamps and their meanings would fill a volume. The list below is a small sample of the most typical unit stamps found on issued cloth headgear. |  | |
CR - Chevauleger Regiment - Bavarian light Cavalry
DR (often only "D") - Dragoner Regiment - Dragoon, mounted Infantry.
ER - Eisenbahn Regiment - Railway Troops
FAR -Feldartillerie Regiment - Field Artillery
AF - Fußartillerie Regiment - Foot Artillery
F or f - Feldbrauchbar (Field serviceable)
FR - Fusilier Regiment
GGR - Garde Grenadier Regiment
HR - Husaren Regiment - Hussars (Light Cavalry).
I - Instandsetzungsamt - repair depot.
IR - Infanterie Regiment - Infantry.
J - Instandsetzungsamt - repair depot.
JR - Infanterie Regiment - Infantry
JB - Jäger Bataillon - (Light Infantry) Battalion
KR - Kürassiere Regiment - Heavy Cavalry
LB - Landsturm Bataillon - A level of service similar to reserves.
LB - Landwehr Bataillon - Home defense units. Last level of military service.
NB - Nachrichtentruppe Bataillon - Signals Troop.
PB - Pioniere Bataillon - Pioneer or Engineer
S - Sanitätseinheit - Medical .
S - Sanitätskorps - Medical Corps.
SM - Schall-Messtruppen - Foot Artillery sound-ranging troops
Sch - Scheinwerfer - Searchlight.
SchS - Schiess-Schule - Shooting school.
SRR - Schwere-Reiter Regt - Bavaria & Saxony Heavy Cavalry Regiment.
Tel or T - Telegraphen - Telegraph.
TB - Train - Supply and Service troops.
UR - Ulanen Regt
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| Preußen Garde Kürassier Regt issued Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen. The cap is clearly marked BAG (Clothing Depot of the Garde) 1908 and G.K.R. on the cloth lining. |  | |
 | Preußen Garde-Schützen-Batl. (Berlin) Garde-Korps issued Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen. It was accepted by the BAG (Clothing Depot of the Garde) in 1905, and issued to a soldier in 1906. | |
| Preußen Infantry 137 Mannschaften (Other Ranks) issue Krätzchen for 2. Unter - Elsässisches. Inf. - Regt. Nr. 137, Hagenau XXI. Armee Korps. The inside of the cap is well marked "JR 137" and "BA" on the tan cloth lining.
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The "ga" stamp. which is one of a three part grading system added by the Instandsetzungsamt (clothing repair depot) when releasing items from repair; the levels were "ga" (garnisonbrauchbare) which was the best rating, "f" (feldbrauchbare) which was field serviceable, and "gb" (schlechter garnisonbrauchbare) which was heavy garrison use.
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 | Model 1910 Preußen Train (supply) Abteilung Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen. The cap is lined with a cream colored cloth, and unit stamped " BAII 1915". The cap is also marked size "55" and maker marked "Bruno Gerhart". | |
| Model 1910 Preußen Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen for 1. Unter - Elässisches Feldartill. Regt. Nr.31 Altona XXI. Armee Korps. The Krätzchen is lined with a cream colored cloth and unit marked "FAR 31 BA XV". |  | |
 | Model 1910 Bayern (Bavaria) Train (supply) Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen. The Krätzchen is lined with a cream colored cloth, stained brown from heavy sweat and wear. The lining is stamped " BA1 1915". | |
| Model 1910 Preußen Infantry Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen marked "B.J.A. Ch.bz. 17" on the inside lining. Bekleidungs-Jnstandsetzungsamt Chtz. (Chemnitz) . The liner also has the "f" stamping for Feldbrauchbar (Field serviceable). |  | |
 | Model 1910 Württemberg Infantry Reserve Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen. The Krätzchen is lined with a tan colored, low quality cloth, similar to a heavy linen with a low thread count and stamped "BA XIII 1917". | |
| Model 1910 Preußen Infantry Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen lined with a cream colored cloth, which appears tan from sweat and age. The lining is stamped "BA VI 1915". |  | |
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