"Australian hats" Topic

Should they be folded up at the side, not folded up or a variety of the two. I am talking about the hats as seen in action during WW1 and WW2 not on parade.

Your thoughts

thanks

Not folded up, at least for WWII – obviously in action most units switched to helmets, but when worn on patrol, they don't seem to have either side turned up, eg:

Not folded up during WWI. A good image from the AWM.

OK not folded at all then. New head pack out next week

thanks

martin

So, on a related note, when do they start getting one side folded up?

I recall seeing hats like those in stores in Canada as well, with one side folded up too, about 25 years ago, or so.

Can't recall which side was folded, since I saw them at a distance, in several retail store windows, in passing.

Since about '93 the brim is folded (on the left side) only for parades, otherwise it's left down. It could be worn brim down in the field as well, minus puggaree and badges, as seen in Somalia.

Prior to then the Hat, Khaki, Fur, Felt (to give it its full name) was worn brim folded with non-field/work dress (ie office and walking out dress) and wearing it brim down was restricted to troops based in the tropics and infantry units north of a line drawn along the Brisbane-NSW border. In Brisbane we'd wear it brim down in our normal dress of the day, unless ordered to wear bush hats or berets (those driving vehicles).

In WWII it was similar, but in WWI 3 DIV AIF were ordered to wear the hat brim down at all times (unless wearing helmets), with rising sun badge on the front. It was Monash's way of making his division stand out from the others.

For wargaming figure purposes- brim down, puggaree- optional, chinstrap- optional, holes, dents and well-worn look- compulsory. The AWM has a lot of photo's in its collection, which show the hat it in its many forms.

Dal.

I found this on wiki. So reader be wary. See listing under Australian usage.

link

Couple of mistakes there, zoc. The slumpy is ceremonial head dress for ALL Australian units and personnel (see ASOD's link ). Some units, such as SASR, have permission to wear their berets instead of the slumpy when holding unit-only parades, while others may wear Tam-o-shanters and other Scots hats (infantry units with tenuous Scot ancestry) and bandsmen often wear tropical helmets, etc. And "Grade 1" is a new term, they were always "No 1" and "No 2".

Colour patches on the puggaree came back in in the early 90's, along with wearing the corps/REGT badge on the front and the rising sun on the LHS brim. The seven-pleated puggaree was first used by the 2AIF in WWII, before then it was a plain band (still used by AMF- militia- troops during WWII).

As I said, though, for wargaming brim down, battered and holed does nicely.

Perry has separate Australian hats available for their 28mm "Desert Rats" plastics. Most with brim down some with brim up on the left. Very nice too and fit well. They have New Zealand "lemon squeezer" hats, Scot Tams, two types of sun helmets. Only thing is none of these riches will work with other figures as they are on the small side of 28mm.

I saw the title of the post, Dal, and thought you'd be able to set the record straight.

2IC says to say hello…..

Look forward to seeing those heads Martin.

Duck

Duck, can you PM me your 'phone number? The one I've got goes straight to voice mail- and it ain't your voice.

Dal.

PS How's Sue? That's why I've been trying to ring.

Dal,

It's done.

She is well. I'll look forward to the call.

Duck