pukman Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 i have several sidecaps on loan from a collector,the one i'm interested in buying is a New Zealand Boer war sidecap. But this one in in amongst them.iI was wondering if anyone could tell me a little about Capt R Dickinson ,and where the 4th Somerset Light Infantry were based in 1916. cheers iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pukman Posted 2 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Interior of cap ,showing identification Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 The 1/4th were, in 1916, in India until February, then to Mesopotamia. The 2/4th were in India throughout the year. R Dickinson seems to get no mention in the regimental history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David B Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 You took the words out of my mouth Stephen, in addition I could not find a mention of him in Wyrall - The Somerset Light Infantry 1914-1919. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pukman Posted 2 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Thanks for that information.Just note that the four holes on the hat ,i would think is were the badge has been ,i.e lug holes. although this hat is on loan,it is for sale.So if theres any interested collectors of Somerset uniforms out there.,P/M me and i will send details through to the vendor.Just note that this hat is in New Zealand cheers iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinhat47 Posted 3 April , 2011 Share Posted 3 April , 2011 I thought the RFC/RAF were the only ones who wore this style cap during World War I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 April , 2011 Share Posted 3 April , 2011 I thought the RFC/RAF were the only ones who wore this style cap during World War I? I think it was rare Matt, but it seems that it was worn by some unit's officers as an undress head dress with khaki drill uniforms in hot theatres of war such as Egypt, Macedonia, Mesopotamia, Dardanelles, and Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinhat47 Posted 3 April , 2011 Share Posted 3 April , 2011 Aha! That would explain the khaki color ... were they cotton drill as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 April , 2011 Share Posted 3 April , 2011 Aha! That would explain the khaki color ... were they cotton drill as well? Yes, if you look closely at the weave (diagonal ribs) you can make out that it is cotton drill. They were not complicated to make and could even have been produced in a local bazaar or by the battalion tailor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 3 April , 2011 Share Posted 3 April , 2011 Matt, You see a few early war photos of Australians wearing them, including Gallipoli as mentioned by Frogsmile. They were issued to militia soldiers pre-war and I think they just kept them in their kit when they enlisted. Some more info here- http://www.grantsmilitaria.com/militariaphotos/militaria_images.asp?key=23 Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high wood Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 I am a little curious. I can understand that you might write your name in your cap and possibly your regiment but why would you write the year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovetown Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 I am a little curious. I can understand that you might write your name in your cap and possibly your regiment but why would you write the year? Why would the Government date its uniforms and equipment? But it did. And many, many privately tailored Service Dress items have the date inked onto them? Why? Who knows? But a very widesrpead practice at the time and seems to have been the fashion almost. Cheers, GT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 Or he was bored one evening just after The Archers finished ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pukman Posted 4 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2011 I have seen a few uniforms,equipment and headwear that have namings,unit, or a service number.Its not uncommon. Look Gents,this hat is up for sale .If any one is interested contact me and i can pass details onto the vendor.(In New Zealand) My line is in badges ,headwear and uniform and equipment of the New Zealand army ,Boer war/WW1 of which i have a tiny collection. This hat is interesting but not within my collecting criteria. cheers iain D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 Very odd that someone would write a date after their name don't you think? Rgds Tim D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pukman Posted 5 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 5 April , 2011 i wonder what the last commentator would make of another marked piece in the collection that the side cap belongs too. Its a Navel Division Pith Solar topee ( Possibly Either Hood or Drake) where the former owner has not only written his name,rank , service number , and unit,but also all the campaigns he served in .From memory Egypt 1914,Dardenelles 1915,Mespotamia 1916................. Soldiers/ sailors etc wrote down stuff on there hats not only for identification ,but as a record of their own service.And god bless them for it.It makes them more interesting for collectors like me who like a bit of added colour i'll have to take some pictures. cheers iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 5 April , 2011 Share Posted 5 April , 2011 Recording campaigns is a little different Iain, I have also been in the collecting game for some time and despite what others say I have never seen a purported owner write a year as displayed here. Are you able to say what it is written in? Looks a little fresh to me to be 95 years old? Rgds Tim D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pukman Posted 5 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 5 April , 2011 Recording campaigns is a little different Iain, I have also been in the collecting game for some time and despite what others say I have never seen a purported owner write a year as displayed here. Are you able to say what it is written in? Looks a little fresh to me to be 95 years old? Rgds Tim D hello Tim D, While i've had a interest in collecting badges for nearly 30 years and been a serious collector for the past 8,i am what you could term a novice in the uniform collecting world.The vendor however has an extensive collection of uniforms and equipment collected over decades, and i would think you would rightly term an expert. I think he would a dud from a good one. Now from my crash course in markings i.e indeliable pencil/indian ink i would think this is the Black Indian ink as opposed to the purple endiliable pencil. In my opinion this is period marked,certainly not fresh as you think.Certainly with the cap being closed ,sitting flat ,fading doesn't come into play as much. I have nothing to gain one way or the other. In my honest humble opinion this is 100% genuine. cheers iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 5 April , 2011 Share Posted 5 April , 2011 Cheers Iain, I never said it wasn't authentic, simply asking a few questions regards things that look a little odd to me. If the ink was inscribed earlier and the cap actually worn I would expect it to be a little more worn I guess...this does not mean it wasn't stored soon after. I am no expert either. Rgds Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high wood Posted 6 April , 2011 Share Posted 6 April , 2011 Why would the Government date its uniforms and equipment? But it did. And many, many privately tailored Service Dress items have the date inked onto them? Why? Who knows? But a very widesrpead practice at the time and seems to have been the fashion almost. Cheers, GT. The government (W.D.) dated its uniforms and equipment for the simple reason that it had to keep records of items bought, issued and disposed of. With government contracts, an order might be placed for 20,000 uniforms from a particular supplier and a repeat order six months later. With private purchase officer's uniforms, an officer would have an account with his tailor and would have a bespoke uniform or two made. I have seen many examples which have the tailor's label with the officer's name and date of manufacture hand written; probably more for the tailor's benefit than the officers. As with any item of issued uniform, whether at school, the boy scouts or in the military it makes sense to mark your clothing with your name to distinguish it from identical items. Still not sure why you would write the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Hauraki KIA KAHA Posted 6 April , 2011 Share Posted 6 April , 2011 Hi I have an officers warm with name unit and date 1917 written, and I can tell you its no fake or bodge names and dates did happen........ Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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