Australian Uniform WW1

[Lone Pine2]

I am quite excitied about this, but just need some information. I am going on Sunday to try and find a photo of my Grandfather 4th Battalion AIF, we know there was one, as my Dad very kindly threw it in the bin when he was a young man. My relation has got an old case full of old photos and she does not know who they are, you don't know there may even be a diary as Grandads kit would have had to have been returned, and I don't think that Nanny got it, as I have seen a lable with my Great Grandfathers address on it.so fingers crossed.

What I want to know is when did the Australians start wearing the "slouch" hat, I have seen photos of WW1 and some have the "slouch" hat on and some have the peaked cap on, I know what I really need to look for is the cap badge, but it would help, if I knew when the "slouched" hat became popular. Did they get issued with two hats?

Thanks

LP

[Blackblue]

Hi LP,

The slouch hat was in broad use prior to WW1. The AIF were issued with a slouch hat and peaked cap. I understand most AIF units wore the peaked gap at the Gallipoli landing (allegedly to prevent confusion with the Turks). Soldiers in particular roles (eg. despatch riders) may have worn peaked caps throughout the war, but generally speaking most units wore a the slouch hat as their standard headdress. Please let us know how you get on.

Rgds

Tim D

[Waddell]

LP,

I have Ron Austin's book 'The Fighting Fourth' and within it there are photos of 4th Battalion men wearing slouch hats during training at Kensington in late 1914, in Egypt and at Gallipoli. There are also images of them wearing SD caps, even militia issue side caps and the odd wolseley helmet at Gallipoli. I'm not sure if the presence of either will help at all in dating a photo for a soldier killed at Lone Pine.

Other things that might help you date or identify the soldier within the photo might be the presence of a cloth shoulder patch and any studio logos on the photo (many were taken in Sydney studios prior to departure). The shoulder patches came about in March 1915.

Hope that helps.

Scott

[Chris Henschke]

In Australia, the slouch hat was first issued in 1885.

Yes, they were issued two hats.

In the period that you are interested, regarding head dress initially, upon enlistment, a soldier was issued;

1 Badge, hat, Commonwealth, copper oxidized (which most call the rising sun badge)

1 Hat, khaki, fur (slouch hat)

after one month of training a further isssue included;

1 Cap, service dress

3 Badge, collar, Commonwealth, copper oxidized (two for the collar and one for the SD cap)

Chris Henschke

[Lone Pine2]

LP,

I have Ron Austin's book 'The Fighting Fourth' and within it there are photos of 4th Battalion men wearing slouch hats during training at Kensington in late 1914, in Egypt and at Gallipoli. There are also images of them wearing SD caps, even militia issue side caps and the odd wolseley helmet at Gallipoli. I'm not sure if the presence of either will help at all in dating a photo for a soldier killed at Lone Pine.

Other things that might help you date or identify the soldier within the photo might be the presence of a cloth shoulder patch and any studio logos on the photo (many were taken in Sydney studios prior to departure). The shoulder patches came about in March 1915.

Hope that helps.

Scott

I too have this book, cost me a small fortunte to get it over here, but well worth it,

Thanks for all your support will let you know how it goes If its not there, then that is it, I have exhausted all avenues trying to findit fingers crossed that it is.

[Crunchy]

LP,

Another indicator is the Australian jacket, loose fitting with a distinctive "band" down the front, a cloth belt, large loose pockets and buttoned cuffs. The colour patch Waddell refers to will be a horizontal rectangle - white upper half, dark (red) lower half.

Cheers

Chris

[WhiteStarLine]

LP, exactly as the others have said. Here is the same soldier in Australia in 1916 / 17 in the peak cap (Malvern), slouch hat, giggle hat (in the centre, Maribyrnong) and in tents (AFA No 1 depot, peak cap with others wearing giggle hat and slouch hat).

[Lone Pine2]

Thanks everyone! Sorry to report no picture nothing, so that is it now I am never going to find a picture, after 3 years of looking nothing, so the end of the story for me.

The only picture we did find was we think of my Grandads youngest sister (my Great Aunt) , going by the clothes she was wearing, and it looks like she was preparing to send a picture of herself to him as on the back it says "for my Brother Bill" but obviously he was killed before she could send it to him, she was about 15 when he died.

Thanks again.

[17107BM]

Hello LP2.

Don't give up. With no idea where to start i eventually found a picture of my Grandfather on the Australian War Memorial site. I would just browse there gallery when spare time allowed.

I really could not believe my luck! ID number EO1789 taken at Meteren, France. 6 March 1918.

So it could be possible. Images can ordered on disc from AWM.

Good luck.

G.K.

[Angrybudgie]

Hi LP,

17107BM is right, don't give up yet. Can you give me his name and I will add him to my list of names to keep an eye out for. You never know what might come out of some one's back shed or what might be digitised in the future. A photo may turn up yet.

Elizabeth

[Lone Pine2]

Thanks for the encouragement guys, but have scoured the Australian War Memorial site many many times, and found absolutely nothing, I have looked for Grandad, William Pritchard 1422 and also the 4th Battlation, as have a pic of my Dad (in his WW2 uniform as Dad was in Burma during WW2) taken when he was roughly same age as Grandad and Nanny said that Dad was the spitting image of his father, got one pic, but not sure if it is him or not as there are loads of them in this picture and also I wonder what the 4th Battalion AIF even did to warrant so little info on them by that I mean pictures etc.

Still goods news is going for a vist to Gallipoli in September, so will "see" Grandad and all the guys as well YIPEEEEEEE