FAMOUS HATS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1936, Page 7

FAMOUS HATS

AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS ’ V Military authorities in Sydney stated recently that it was not intended to abandon for militia purposes the famous head-gear of the A.I.F. —the khaki slouch hats "turned up on one side and clipped with “Rising Sun” badges.

A cabled message from London stated that the “Daily Mail” in a leading article entitled “The Old Shako,” expressed regret that the prosaic blue peaked cap was supplanting the Australian wartime head-gear. “The mind leaps back 20 years,” it said, “and summons a picture of the Aussies, young, spare and magnificently atnletic, with their brown faces under slouch hats pinned up by the famous Australian badge. Thousands of matrons now approaching placid ■ middleage will sigh sentimentally for the old Digger hat, so dashing, distinctive and ‘olonial-looking.’ - It helped to vanquish thousands of iieartk at Home besides the enemies abroad.”

■■' ! --The State Commandant, Brigadier Hard re; said that A.I.F. hats would be retained for all daylight parades and for field work. It had been felt that smaller bead-gear was required lor night parades, and for this purpose only peaked caps had been introduced. “The Australian soldier still loves the old A.I.F. hat, and they are being retained,” he added. Major-General. H. Gordon Bennett agreed that lighter and smaller headgear was preferable for night parades. However, the A.I.F. hat was better for field work, “it lias been given a tradition now that makes it of great value, and we should never sacrifice it,” he said.