| Accession Number | RELAWM04508.001 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Headdress |
| Physical description | Felt, Leather, Wool felt |
| Location | Main Bld: First World War Gallery: The Anzac Story: Gallipoli: Anzac The Landing |
| Maker |
Union Felt Hat Co |
| Place made | New Zealand: South Island, Otago, Dunedin |
| Date made | Unknown |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Slouch hat: 4th (Otago Rifles) Regiment, New Zealand Infantry
Description
Khaki fur felt hat with khaki wool puggaree with an inset red flash, as worn by the infantry. The hat has a leather sweatband and chinstrap. The band is stamped 'THE UNION FELT HAT CO [6 3/4] MAKERS DUNEDIN', and 'N.Z. FORCES', with spaces between the following to be filled in by the wearer: 'REGT COY. BATTN. REGT. NO'. A brass badge, with slider fitting on the reverse, for the 4th (Otago Rifles) Regiment, is attached to the centre front of the puggaree.
History / Summary
The slouch hat worn by the New Zealand Infantry at the beginning of the First World War could be worn with the brim turned up at the left, or with the brim down. It had a centre front to back bash on the crown.
During the Gallipoli campaign in 1915 William George Malone introduced a 'lemon squeezer' bash for the men of his Taranaki Rifles Regiment. It was said to mirror the outline of Mount Taranaki and allowed rain to run off the hat in times of inclement weather. The 'lemon squeezer', brim always worn down, was subsequently adopted by the Wellington Regiment and then by the rest of the New Zealand Infantry Division on 1 January 1916.
Branches of service were differentiated by coloured flashes in the puggarees; individual units by distinctive hat badges.