| Place | Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Sydney |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL/07959.004 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Headdress |
| Physical description | Cotton grosgrain, Fur felt |
| Location | Main Bld: World War 2 Gallery: Gallery 3: Aust 43-44 |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | Australia |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Hat : Womens All Services Canteen
Description
Women's All Services Canteen (WASC) olive green fur felt hat with 'V' shaped bash at centre front and a khaki cotton grosgrain band with flat bow at the proper right side.
History / Summary
The Women's All Services Canteen (WASC) was a volunteer organisation which operated a free 24 hour canteen at Central Railway Station, Sydney between 1940 and 1945, where service personnel could get a meal at any time. The Canteen was officially opened on 3 August 1940 on the site of the Central Railway station snack bar. The Railway Department supervised the design and construction of the new canteen.
One of the Canteen's busiest 24 hour periods was on New Year's eve/day on 31 December 1944 and 1 January 1945, when a 100 members, working in three shifts, cooked and served 5,000 free turkey dinners, followed by ice cream.
This hat is part of the 'parade' dress worn by the WASC. Working dress consisted of a 'corn-gold' cotton overall and headband.