 |
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
Woolen Hat of Swedish origin, but marked AIF |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
AWM  Thank
you for your recent enquiry regarding the unusual fleece cap shown
on your website. Nobody at the Memorial has been able to
positively identify this item, but we are reasonably certain that
it is not Australian.
Similar caps have been noted on Japanese soldiers serving in China during the 1930s, but the stamped markings inside do not appear to support this theory. The use of an 'A.I.F.' stamp on Australian issue clothing is not a practice which has previously been seen, and the absence of any kind of Broad Arrow or 'WD' markings tend to support the view that the object is not of Commonwealth origin. The other markings visible, particularly
what appears to be a crown at the top of the fifth image, have the
appearance of Imperial German stamps, although again, we have no records
or images to support the use of such a cap by German troops. |
|
The Swedish Army, like other countries who's borders fall within of very
close to the Artic Circle, need to supply the soldiers of the army with
clothing that will allow the soldiers to operate efficiently in very
cold conditions. The type of head wear adopted by these armies reflects
this. The Swedish army issued a variety of thick woollen or fur head
wear items. The two examples shown here are typical of artic clothing.
The large white sheep skin hat has been in use in the Swedish military for many years. This example is dated 1912, and along with many other turned up in Australia in the late 1970s. The interior is marked with a variety of issue stamps, including the letters 'AIF' and the numbers '1915' (very confusing to budding collectors of Australian Imperial Forces, but merely coincidental). The cap is lined with a blue/grey cotton with thick padded quilting. The leather peak can be worn out, as shown. Normally a roundel would be worn on the front of the cap, in the national colours, blue and yellow. From Grants militaria |
