Non Australian slouch hats, page 2

Non Australian Slouch Hats (page 2)

The word slouch refers to a hat with a brim that droops down all the way around unless rolled or held

CO Edward Cecil Bethune, 16th (Queen's) Lancers image and text from Defending Victoria

Lt-Col E. C. Bethune, commanding Bethune's Mounted Infantry (Formed October 1899 in South Africa). Bethune (From Robinson's Celebrities of the Army, 1900).

An irregular British South African Unit. Victorians, unable to enlist in any of the official Victorian Contingents, rushed to South Africa to join any unit they could find. There were many. Bethune's was one such unit. It included Americans, Scandinavians and Australians.

Among them were at least 39 Victorians (judging by the addresses of their next of kin) on the nominal roll, including one from the prosperous Melbourne suburb of Toorak and another whose father was in Pentridge Gaol (probably as a warder) . . .

Approximately 300 attended the second annual reunion of "Submarine Veterans of World War II". At that time there were 665 charter members on file. The third annual reunion was held at the Griswold Hotel in Groton, Connecticut, with over 800 in attendance. The fourth annual reunion was held in St. Louis, Missouri in September, 1958. The fifth annual reunion was held in Denver, Colorado in September 1959. A scholarship fund was set up, which became the backbone of the organization. The sixth annual reunion was held in San Diego, California in 1960. At that meeting, They adopted the Digger Hat as their official uniform.>>>>

New Britain. December 1943. An Aussie meets a Yank, but both wear fur felt hats. The American is Private First Class (Pfc) Rocky De Sola, US Army, of New York, and the Australian is Gunner W. J. Harper of Bondi, NSW. De Sola is showing Harper the container a US hand grenade was packed in.

Early British Slouch Hat - made by Dunn & Co - Great Britain. Hat size is 7 1/4 inch. Four fold puggaree hand stitched to the hat. Sweat band is a bit cracked in some spots, mainly at the section which covers your forehead, but solid and still stitched in. manufacture date somewhere in the range 1900/1920 with the earlier date more likely. There is no hook or attachment device for a chin strap BUT many British units did not wear a chin strap.

Note that there is no binding on the brim. Note the press stud device to hold the brim up.

British slouch hats (yet to be dated & identified)

Images supplied by Phil Cowley

WWI US Army Officer's Campaign Hat

Issue olive drab felt campaign hat has well-worn officer's hat cord, olive grosgrain ribbon, and edge with five row stitch reinforcement.