Non Australian slouch hats, page 5

Non Australian Slouch Hats (page 5)

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

1901 slouch hat, as worn by the Imperial Yeomanry in UK

All images on this page from the 'Lee Greer Collection'.

This Boer War era British hat made of khaki wool felt. It has vent holes on each side, brim
turned up on left side and held in place by a 'Made in England' snap. It has a nice silk rosette (kokarde) attached of red & blue (soldiers used the traditional color facings of their unit) w/metal badge in the center for the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry Regt. (Prince of Wales' Own) with a brass "IY" below it for "Imperial Yeomanry". This unit served in the South Africa War and was awarded the campaign honour "South Africa". The cap is complete w/leather sweatband and leather hat band.

This is a Boer War era hat made in England. Body of hat is in brown felt, tailored with a double row of vent holes around the whole of the crown of the hat. Fold up flap with Dent Spring button press (Made in France) stud and another press stud on the opposite side. Evidence of a number of badges being worn. The liner of this hat is in exceptional condition (as is the whole hat) and is in the form that is seen in Officers foreign service helmets, being an inner serrated band for padding and a leather sweatband which is tooled 'Adam Ashworth & Sons, Bury & Nuneton 1901' with the original stuck on label giving size as 21¼. Hat has lighter colored (khaki) puggaree and brown leather chinstrap. Chinstrap is of the removable type seen on the foreign service helmets. The National Army Museum in the UK has a similar example in its collection with more ventilation holes to the crown.

Spanish American War era, US Volunteers 1889 pattern slouch hat

USV cap: This is an 1889 pattern hat that was used at the end of the Indian Wars and the Spanish
American War. It has ventilation holes in the form of "USV", standing for United States Volunteers. The cap has an red-artillery cap cord and an unit-marked indentation for a '7' badge in front. The hat is missing its sweatband, but has its size label with sellers label.

Green felt Boer War era slouch hat.

BW2: Another probably British-made Boer War era slouch hat. This hat in its form, materials and insignia used all point to an origin of the first decade of the 20th Century. The felt made hat is a green color and it is marked with what appears to be unit badges "2" and "F" and a tri-colored unit-emblem or formation sign.

British manufacture, sourced in Canada, with AIF badge.

WW1 cap: A nice example of a British made, WW1 Australian Military Forces slouch hat. Nice thick fur felt with slight mothing that shows in the photo. This cap was sourced out of Canada several years ago. Anyone wanting to look at a comparison hat should check out the "Regimentals" web site where there is a virtually identical hat. This hat does not have an acceptance mark. The leather liner is still supple and is attached for about three-quarters of the way around. No markings apart from "Made in England" in gold stamped lettering. Puggaree is stitched to hat, Rising Sun is slider-type. Press stud side attachment.

1944 Royal Army Ordnance Corps slouch hat

RAOC hat: A 1944 dated British bush hat identified to a Private Ryan of the RAOC. Pte Ryan's soldier's
number is stamped on the underside as is the broad-arrow and 1944 date. The RAOC hat badge and
green felt backing holds the brim of the hat in place. Close inspection shows the year 1944 incised into the felt of the hat. There is no discernable markings on the sweat band (and you can see Ryan did sweat quite a bit). The hat band is reminiscent of a WW1 Australian woollen 'economy' type.