Khaki felt slouch hat : Australian Military Forces

Australian Military Forces khaki felt slouch hat, with the rising sun badge. The hat is constructed from a single panel of press shaped animal fur felt. The central oval shaped crown has straight sides and a central bash. There are two pairs of coated metal eyelets on each side of the sides. The brim edge is bound with fine khaki coloured grosse grain ribbon. The hat has a pleated tan coloured puggaree. On the proper left crown side is a hook to accomodate the small brass clip which holds the brim upright. There is a rising sun badge attached to the proper left brim with a single split pin. The hat has a leather sweatband and chin strap. Stamped on the lining is: the maker, United Felt Hats Pty Ltd.; the size, 6 7/8 inches; and the date of manufacture, 1929.

This slouch hat was worn by an unknown member of the Australian Military Forces.

The khaki hat, first adopted into Australian military service in 1885 when it was chosen for the newly-formed Victorian Mounted Rifles, featured a high-domed crown and a narrow brim. The brim was turned up on the right side. The colony of New South Wales adopted a felt hat for its mounted troops. In 1890, local military commandants agreed that all their forces, except the artillery (who wore helmets), should adopt a felt hat. This hat was worn with an indented crown, looped up on the left side and decorated with plumage. The hat was first worn overseas in the South African War.

The Defence Act of 1903 combined the former colonial defence forces into a single Australian army. The hat was now universally turned up on the left hand side. The most well-known of various new embellishments was the emu feather plume worn by the Light Horse.

Further standardisation and changes to embellishments occurred from time to time, with the raising of the 1st AIF in 1914, the reorganisation in 1922 of the Australian Military Forces and the introduction of the voluntary militia force in 1930, 1939 and in post-war years.