Unusual AIF headgear

[RodB]

Below is a link to a photograph at the AWM apparently of Corporal A S Burton VC, of the 7th Battalion AIF. I haven't seen this headgear associated with the AIF before, it looks British or American. Anybody know what it's called and who wore it ? Prewar Militia ? Or have they got the wrong bloke here ? He was killed in his VC action at Lone Pine so the photo showing him wearing the medal is either doctored or not of him.

thanks. Rod.

http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/H06785

[Waddell]

Rod,

It looks like the side cap the militia units wore pre-war.

Have a look here on the Grants Militaria site-

http://www.grantsmilitaria.com/militariaph...ages.asp?key=23

Did Corporal Burton serve in a militia regiment pre-war?

I've seen the caps and shirts in early wartime photos, particularly those of men in training camp.

Scott

Edit- That VC does look like it was added to the photo.

[Andrew Upton]

He was killed in his VC action at Lone Pine so the photo showing him wearing the medal is either doctored or not of him.

thanks.

http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/H06785

Very badly doctored, it's not even a terribly good representation of the VC!

[RodB]

Thanks for the replies.. he is listed as joining up on 18th August... service record here http://deepthought.hass.adfa.edu.au:8080/s...erson?pid=40752 mentions 4 years as a cadet... that seems to point to him being in the militia prewar. So militia this is. Stripes could also be painted on, as he apparently enlisted as a private and was promoted in the field at Gallipoli.

Rod

[Dolphin]

Rod

His enlistment papers in the National Archive only mention 4 years' service in the Cadets; there's no mention of the militia.

I think that the cap in the photograph was common during the South African War and may have been issued to newly-enlisted troops in 1914. Later it became the distinctive headgear of the AFC.

Cheers

Gareth

[Waddell]

His enlistment papers in the National Archive only mention 4 years' service in the Cadets; there's no mention of the militia.

The cadets were closely linked to the militia at the time as the first stage of compulsory military service. They did wear the militia uniform, so Gareth is probably correct.

Scott

[Peter and Ellen]

Have seen a number of times, an image of General Sir John Monash in a posed shot, looking rather younger than his WW1 images wearing one of these caps, with the chin strap deployed.

Sorry, cannot recall where I saw it otherwise I would post it.

Regards, Peter

[RodB]

From info in your various postings, he appears to be wearing the standard AIF tunic rather than the militia shirt; and he is wearing a prewar militia sidecap... but these were still issued to some of the 1914 enlistees. Have I fianally got it right ?

thanks

Rod

[Waddell]

That sounds right Rod. He is wearing a tunic, not a militia shirt. The link below states that the sidecaps were issued during the war.

http://www.grantsmilitaria.com/militariaph...ages.asp?key=75

The last paragraph is pertinent to the photo. It's likely that photo was taken just prior to the Gallipoli campaign.

Scott

[cdeayton]

I have seen a photO of Henry Dalziel VC of the 15th Battalion AIF wearing a similar cap. My understanding was that they were militia issue.

cRAIG