| Place | Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Mornington Peninsula, Westernport, Flinders Naval Depot |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL/02854 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Headdress |
| Physical description | Cotton, Polished cotton, Silver lace, Silver wire, Velvet |
| Maker |
Buckley & Nunn Ltd |
| Place made | Australia: Victoria, Melbourne |
| Date made | Unknown |
| Conflict |
Period 1930-1939 |
Football honour cap : Midshipman L J Tatham, Royal Australian Naval College
Description
Dome-shaped peaked cap made from dark blue velvet with a ribbon of silver bullion lace sewn around the brim. Silver cord seperates the crown into six panels and fixed to the apex of the panels, is a silver wire button, with a silver wire tassel. The front panel of the cap features the badge of the college, and below this the lettering 'R.A.N.C.', all embroidered in silver wire. The cap is quilt-lined with a brown coloured polished cotton which bears a makers label stamped in gold with a stag and the words ' VICTORIA HOUSE. BUCKLEY & NUNN LTD' and below this 'MELBOURNE', 'DON' and 'PAR' (for London and Paris).
History / Summary
This honour cap for rugby was awarded to Cadet Midshipman Lyster James Tatham during his time at the Royal Australian Naval College. Tatham entered the RANC on 28 January 1937 as a 14 year old. On graduating from the college, he served on HMAS Canberra from 27 December 1940 to 28 November 1941, having been promoted to midshipman on 1 January that year. From 29 November 1941 he served on HMS Kandahar and died, aged 18, when the ship was sunk off the coast of Libya on 20 December 1941.