Straw Hats For Territorials In Whangarei Camp

Northern Advocate, 14 January 1941, Page 7

Straw Hats For Territorials In Whangarei Camp

t Special to “Northern Advocate ”] AUCKLAND, This Day.

Men of the Second Battalion, Auckland Regiment, who are at present in camp at Kensington Park, Whangarei, for an intensive training course of three months, will shortly be issued with straw hats. The hats are on order and will be issued within the next few days. The hats will be of the same shape as the familiar felt peaked hat which was recently largely replaced by forage caps.

Protection From Sun,

The forage caps were introduced mainly to help to relieve a shortage ot felt, and the same reason is behind the order for the straw hats. Also the straw hats will give better protection from the sun than the forage caps. This is the first time that such hats have been issued in the Dominion. Whether similar hats will be issued to all units of the Territorial Forces now in various camps is not known, although other units apart from the Second Battalion have also been issued with forage caps.

It is stated that it is possible the Whangarei issue will be made at the battalion’s own expense.

Eagerness.—Several hundred letters and personal calls already received by the British Air Ministry Information Bureau indicate the nation-wide interest in the new Air Training Corps. The inquiries come from headmasters, former Royal Air Force officers and boy engineers, all eager to participate.