Kabalak & Bashlyk (World War I)

Kaballak and Bashlik, Ottoman Headgear, World War I The kaballak, or envirier, was a cap that was introduced in 1909. Beforehand, there had been no official headgear for the Ottoman army, but the fez was a popular choice since 1840. It was made of bright red felt in a conical shape, which made it easy to spot, but from 1880, they were covered in khaki covers which had been originally supplied by the British. The Ottoman army's reforms saw the introduction of a dark khaki uniform and the M1909 kaballak. The kaballak was lightweight and looked like a tropical helmet. Khaki cloth was wrapped around a strong wickerwork frame. The cloth also came down as long ears for wrapping around the fez for warmth in cold conditions. The front and back peaks of the helmet offered effective protection of the fez and neck from the sun. For the officer, gold ornamental bands were placed along the edges and silver for non-combatants. Some helmets had the Orta of Orta crescent badge placed on the front and some had a spike on the top. In the 1916 Handbook of the Turkish Army, it states the rank and file were supplied in 1913 and 1914 with a new head covering, a long strip of khaki cloth tied spirally on the head and forming a sort of soft helmet, which can easily be mistaken for the British khaki helmet in a bad light. This was the Beşlik and was a one-piece cap made from wool. It was also referred to as the Inveriye or Enver helmet like the kaballak which it looked similar to. The Beşlik, like in Russia, was originally intended for cold weather and its long ears could also be tied around the fez for warmth. The Ottoman version evolved into a soft wool cap. This cap was also used alongside the imported German helmet as a form of padding. This insulation was because the steel helmet could cause heat burns in the extreme climates where the Ottoman army fought. Watch our other videos to learn more. Get your copy of Simple History World War I, available on Amazon now. Thank you guys for all your support on the Simple History YouTube channel. If you enjoy it, please consider visiting our Patreon page. There, you can show us your support for the channel by donating and make a huge difference in what we're able to create for you. Plus, you can get early access on upcoming videos. So let's keep it growing and thank you for being part of this amazing community.