Page 13 - eMuse Vol.9 No.10_Neat

Did You Know? Grandma’s

Slouch Hat
Over the years, the iconic slouch hat Sayings
worn by our diggers has become such an
indelible symbol of our national self-image
we find it difficult to imagine such head-
wear being part of other cultures.
So, it may come as a surprise to learn it
has been worn by military personnel from to form the Australian Army and the Royal
many other different nations, e.g., Ireland, Australian Navy. The Meek
Britain, India, Southern Rhodesia, France, Much of the development of Victoria’s
the United States, the Confederate States, Defence Force from mid 1880s was pro- Shall Inherit The
Germany, and so on. foundly influenced by Colonel Tom Price,
Australia and New Zealand have had var- a Tasmanian born professional soldier of Earth . . .
ious models of slouch hat as standard issue twenty years experience with British Regi-
head-wear since the late Victorian period. ments in India. er . . . if you fellers don’t mind.
When he took command of the Victo-
The name rian Mounted Rifles (VMR) he organised
The slouch hat takes its name from the khaki uniforms and he developed the for-
fact that one side droops down as opposed mation and early tactics of the Light horse.
to the other which is pinned against the Price also influenced the issue and use
side of the crown. of the slouch hat which was similar to those
In Australia it is made of rabbit fur by worn by native police in Burma,
companies such as Akubra, Mountcastle, Initially the right side was turned up to
and, Bardsley Hats. The quartermaster avoid the then currant service rifle from hit-
calls it “Hat, Khaki Fur Felt”, or, “Hat KFF”. ting the hat during some drill movements.
Origin It is said the right side should be turned
The exact origin of the slouch hat is un- up to allow troops on parade to “look the
certain. One can say for sure this style of reviewing officer in the eye during the ‘eyes
hat has been worn for many hundreds of right’.”
years, going back at least to the time of the Rifles issued in that era have been re-
English Civil War during the 17th century placed several times over. So too has the
when it became associated with the forc- drill associated with each. On the first
es of King Charles I (the Cavaliers). It was change of weapons the side was turned up
also a fashionable item for the aristocracy on the left.
Future weapon changes and drill move-
throughout Europe during that time. ments did not influence a change in the use
Austrian Corsican Hat of the slouch hat. It remains turned up on

The modern slouch hat is derived from the left even today.
the black “Corsican hat” (Korsehut). It was Kangaroo Feathers
historically used by troops in the Austrian
army during the Napoleonic Wars. Following on from a light horse tra-
The head-wear saw primary use by 15 dition, Royal Australian Amoured Corps
battalions of Austrian Jägers (skirmishers). wears the Hat KFF with an emu plume be-
It featured an upturned brim, leather chin- hind the Rising Sun badge on the side which
strap and feather plume. Austrian regular is turned up. This badge is also known as
infantry also saw limited use of the Corsican the General Service Badge or the Austral-
hat in the periods 1803–06 and 1811–36. ian Army.
The use of the emu feather (called a
Second Boer War kangaroo feather in jest) originated with
Due to a limited supply of the usual the Queensland Mounted Infantry (QMI)
cork helmets of the period, slouch hats during the Great Shearers Strike in 1891.
came into widespread use among British The Gympie Squadron was the first to
Empire troops during the Second Boer War. wear the feathers, a fashion soon followed
Australian colonial troops were already us- by the regiment.
ing them. New South Wales Light Horsemen ini-
Col. Tom Price of the tially wore black rooster feathers in their
hats. After much debate during World War
Victorian Mounted Rifles I it was decreed that all Light horse Units
During the decades before the foun- would wear the emu feathers.
dation of the Commonwealth of Austral- The tradition continues in the
ia in 1901, each of our colonies had Royal Australian Armoured Corps of
a defence force of its own. After today’s army.
Federation, they amalgamated Wally
October 2020 eMuse 13