Australian Military Slouch Hats

A brief overview of Slouch Hats worn by the Australian Defence Force.
More War Movie Content: / johnnyjohnsonesq
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Movies featured:
Gallipoli 1981
Breaker Morant 1985
Anzacs 1985
Kokoda 2005
The Lighthorsemen 1987
Beneath Hill 60 (2010)
Cromwell 1970
Gettysburg 1993
Rough Riders 1997
Monty Python Season 02 Ep 09
Jurassic Park 1993
#australia #uniforms

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Emooo..? 🐄 Eemyyuu. Crikey 😅

[@DrydockDreamsGames]

Another fantastic opus. Man you sure are on a ride, never disappointing, and myself never disappointed. Keep up the great work!

[@andrewlerdard-dickson5201]

She'll be Right....Stone the bloody Crow's Mate.....Nah Drongo.... it's an Emu

[@Saintphoenix86]

@@andrewlerdard-dickson5201 Stone the crow is not an Aussie sayin mate just a heads up there, its english, but to the op eem-you not emooo

[@snarkymatt585]

Struth, what are ya, a galah? It's pronounced e-mew.

[@velociraptor3313]

Emu mate, don't worry mate you'll get the hang of it.

[@lordsummerisle87]

It's a common myth that the Aussie slouch hat was pinned up on one side for drill. It's actually so they can curl up for a nap without removing their head cover, in case a drop bear notices their bald patch shining in the sun and attacks.

[@ronaldscherr1267]

Fukn Grouse Love it

[@andrewdare1157]

The real reason is so three blokes can sit in the front of a holden ute and not have to take their hats off

[@MIck-M]

Not too many foreigners know that during WW2 the government was so worried about Jap invasion that the drovers all got together and hearded all the drop bears up northward. This would later become known as 'The Brisbane Line' and saved Australia from Tojo's minions. Later, they started eating tourists in large numbers so they had to hide their existence to protect Australia's tourist income. That has continued to this day. Hoop snakes were also a problem to a lesser degree but included in the cover up for similar reasons. Nah, yeah, fair dinkum

[@oot2380]

Yeah and the rising sun badge is so any magpie that tries to swoop you gets blinded by the reflection from the badge

[@robmulally]

​@@oot2380not true the sun looks like hot chips which brings the seagull to fight the Maggie.

[@robertsperti5926]

As a aussie who used to wear a slouch hat for part time work you did a bloody job johnny,well done mate

[@flyboymike111357]

Not an Aussie, but I wear slouche hats everyday. They have an amazing history and tradition. I just wish people wouldn't focus so much on Australia when talking about them. They've always been more common in America than Australia. And they were originally British.

[@andrewlerdard-dickson5201]

British the Slouch hat's.... Adopted by the Aussie as originally military head wear, then the Cockie's ( Farmer's)..... Sadly the Headdress is going they way of the Dodo these day's.....less are being made today ! Even the Australian Military is giving the Slouch the fllick

[@rob5944]

It's a good job too that the videos are better than his impression of an Aussie lol.

[@Gang_Stalker_Shadow_Gov]

@@flyboymike111357no one wears them in Australia because we’re conscious of the history the hat has with our military

[@flyboymike111357]

@@Gang_Stalker_Shadow_Gov It isn't just a military thing. They've been common civilian hats longer than the US has been a country

[@svetovidarkonsky1670]

As a retired RAAC officer, you did an excellent job on the history of the slouch. As an aside, the Army its official designation is ; Hat khaki fur felt (KFF) . Armoured corps refer to the plume as ‘Kangaroo feathers’ which is a typical Aussie joke that pokes fun at official nomenclature. Great vid.. thanks 👍

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks for that. Been very happy to hear from all the Aussie vets on this one. 🇦🇺 🇨🇦

[@MrThomo36]

Do we ?

[@matteooz2735]

What years were u in?

[@python27au]

@@MrThomo36yeah had a bloke from 2/14 light horse try and pull that one. When i called bullshit he said they line the inside of the pouch😁

[@AmunrA1991]

The Kangaroo Feathers joke and tradition comes from the Queensland contigent of the Lighthorse in WW1. The contigent was mainly made from men and boys which hailed from country Queensland, where it was a rite of passage to catch an emu and pluck a plume of feathers while still riding. It didn't take long for the other state contigents to adopt the practice of wearing the feathers to identify other members of the Lighthorse.

[@Garage-uj7pv]

Thanks so much mate for putting a spotlight on some of my country's weapons and military traditions, first the iconic Owen Gun now our beloved Slouch Hat 🇦🇺 Great memories watching some of these films and series back in the day too, especially "ANZACs" with Paul Hogan looking so bloody young 👍

[@airmackeeee6792]

Too right mate, seeing Hoges many facelifts ago! 😜🤔

[@ltpowell]

As one and only 2nd AIF reenactor in Russia - i love my slouch hat, original Akubra bought from Australia. Boy oh boy - how many people amazed by that hat! One of most unic and stylish military headwears!

[@guylewis7418]

Akubra hats are some of the best hats for the money!

[@redwolf7929]

That's really cool to see hear you like our style.Its funny to think people in n Russia are amazed by the hat.

[@ltpowell]

@@redwolf7929 they amazed by the hat, and really special hat, as main historical military headwear in Straya. And more of that - they surprised to see how aussies looked like in WW2.

[@SunnieSnell]

ABout $270 now, lookin to upgrade

[@Seagullias12]

It is fascinating to hear that you're an AIF re-enactor in Russia! You obviously know that Aussies fought with the 'White' Army in Russia after WW1. One even won a Victoria Cross.

[@ChubbsterBrown]

You've made a lot of your aussie viewers happy on this day, sir. Thank you, kindly.

[@bwint7234]

They're also worn by the Indian police. Always a sight to see a police officer with a bright white slouch hat.

[@flyboymike111357]

A lot of former British colonies have them, because of the British origin of the hat. Female drill sergeants in the US army still wear them. And most boonie and bush hats for military, police, or civilian use are made to be slouched. Like the one I wear in my pic

[@sharonrigs7999]

India has many sharp looking uniforms

[@thomasmeagher8941]

In Ireland slouch hats have been a tradition for many years and during the easter uprising the Irish volunteers and civilian volunteers wore them

[@gearoiddom]

If it wasn’t for that plucky Digger Pádraig Pearse we’d still be British today.

[@deanstuart8012]

The Kiwi version from WWI was known as the Lemon Squeezer due to the two indentations in the top of the hat. The brims were kept flat as well instead of being raised on one side.

[@brucebuckman5165]

Took a while for the NZ lemon squeezer to be formalized as such, initially NZ infantry wore slouch hats in the same manner, including one brim turned up, as the Aussies. The lemon squeezer shape was introduced during Gallipoli by the Taranaki Regiment and adopted by the rest of the Army in 1916. I've got a photo of my grandfather's platoon in 1914 and their hats look identical to Aussies slouch hats.

[@chicagotypewriter2094]

I think we call those campaign hats in the US! (The Smokey the Bear looking one) Bloody genius nickname

[@aaronleverton4221]

@@chicagotypewriter2094 Had a poster of different western military uniforms during WW1 and 2 as a kid, pretty sure it was printed in the UK, but it definitely referred to the hats worn by Pershing's troops in the Great War as the Lemon Squeezer.

[@atfjacknz]

​@@chicagotypewriter2094There is a difference, the NZ Lemon Squeezer has a far higher point or crown, with larger divets. Otherwise same concept

[@davydatwood3158]

@@chicagotypewriter2094 Smokey the Bear wears a Stetson, with a Montana Peak crown. It's only very broadly similar, mostly that they both have full brims. For those concerned with the details of hat-ology, there's a number of differences.

[@TheLuftwaffe1940]

“There’s me in me slouch hat with me SLR and greens. God helps me I was only 19” Redgum

[@samking7213]

Excellent video. I was a 1st Armoured Regiment Soldier in the Corps RAEME as a recovery mechanic. We wore a black beret as our Daily head dress and the slouch hat with plumes for ceremonial dress. Every ANZAC day my daughter who is currently 6 loves to wear my Slouch hat in honour of her great great uncle who was light horse in ww1 and also my own service. Thank you.

[@bigbrowntau]

Bruce, I mean Johnny, mate, you did a great job. You really covered the history well, including pre-Federation, which most people miss. And yes, trying to go from slope arms to attention with the wrong side down will send your slouch hat flying! You're not wrong about slouch hats needing care. I remember ruining one in a mosquito-infested brackish swamp on an exercise back in the day. I'm not sure about now, but back in the 80's we were still using them in the field occasionally. Usually though we were in bush hats, saving the slouch for parade. You really found some great clips for the video. Really brought back memories. Keep up the great work, mate.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks Bruce! Love hearing from all the Aussie vets on this one.

[@kevinlove4356]

"...trying to go from slope arms to attention with the wrong side down will send your slouch hat flying!" So what happens with the command "Change arms"?

[@bigbrowntau]

@@kevinlove4356 Simple, you don't issue "Change arms" when your soldiers are in slouch hats. In my time in the Australian Army, I only ever heard of it being used once, and that was to a unit in berets. Confused the brand new Lieutenant nicely!

[@kevinlove4356]

@@bigbrowntau So did the Australian contingent at the Coronation last month march for all those miles without ever changing arms? Ouch! That had to have been painful!

[@bigbrowntau]

@@kevinlove4356 The current drill has the soldiers carrying the F88 Steyr slung across the body, barrel down, with the forward grip in their right hand. It'd get rough on the left shoulder, but I imagine they lift it a little occasionally to ease it off. Before the F88, we used the L1A1 SLR ("inch" pattern FN FAL) That was heavy, like an M14, but we had the advantage of a pistol grip. We carried it at "shoulder arms" on the right side. I'd sometimes change it up and order "Slope arms", to move the rifle onto the left shoulder, held by the butt. Give the troops a chance to rest their right arm. The worst part of long marches was being stuck carrying a sword the whole way. Officers practice by walking around with a house brick in their right hands, elbow bent at 90 degrees.

[@k9turrent]

Clever Girl....

[@garfieldsmith332]

Munch, munch, munch...burp.

[@thekhoifish0146]

Anyone else thought they were gonna see Johnny wearing a slouch hat

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Buying one would give me a reason to run down an emu on my horse...

[@User_Un_Friendly]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsqCareful. I've heard their bites are vicious...😭😭😭

[@eamonnclabby7067]

​@@JohnnyJohnsonEsqwe have a WW2 one...dunno how it came into Mrs C,s da s possession ..?.... one of life,s mystery...?...😅😅😅

[@eamonnclabby7067]

​@@JohnnyJohnsonEsqmystery solved...Mrs C,s da wore a slouch hat in India and Burma, they also met some Aussies in transit...sometimes, it literally is a scrap of oral history in the shape of a hat....whatever next...Johnny, s Military Milliners ...😮

[@loyalpiper]

​@@JohnnyJohnsonEsqcanadian mounted police vid when?

[@EdSmith724]

Breaker morant is such a good film. Had completely forgotten about it.

[@MrDredd1966]

Loved that movie!! We used rule 303!!

[@barrythatcher9349]

Shoot straight! You don't want to make a bloody mess of it!

[@cillianmclaverty9392]

The Irish citizen army had there own slouch hats aswell, worn during the Easter rising. My great grandfather had one but it has been lost unfortunately, great video btw!

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Their names are still there at the GPO in Dublin...a terrible beauty is born..might have been William Butler Yeats , I feel sure a compatriot or ten will confirm that..or not...E...

[@telstar4772]

@@eamonnclabby7067 What on earth has that got to do with the Slouch hats ?

[@HollywoodMarine0351]

Excellent research! Now I know more about the Slouch Hat I brought back from Australia during my 1999 WestPac deployment.

[@leopoldthedigger7062]

@@HollywoodMarine0351 sorry I meant to post in the comment section and not just your comment my apologies

[@andrewstravels2096]

I do have a slouch hat, but it’s a Civil War one. Both sides used the slouch hat, particularly the Confederates. Some say that it was a forefather to the Cowboy hat.

[@flyboymike111357]

The hardy hat was a standard part of the Union uniform. Most union soldier and troopers who wore a brimmed hat had it slouched. "Cowboy" hats are ancient. Hats like that were a thing everywhere always. Even the samurai had something extremely similar. The versions popularized during the Civil War and old west were inspired by the 3 Musketeers books. And were obviously more popular in the north during the Civil War because the books were written by a black man.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

There were slouch bats in the Civil war here in the British Isles too...

[@unvaxxeddoomerlife6788]

@@eamonnclabby7067 The bats shouldn't slouch, it's bad posture.

[@nghtwtchmn129]

The Model 1858 Dress Hat or Hardee Hat is named for the author of "Hardee's Tactics," the manual used by both Union and Confederate troops. It is also known as the "Jeff Davis hat," after the one-time U.S. Secretary of War.

[@nghtwtchmn129]

One American known for wearing an Australian slouch hat was Christopher George as Sgt. Troy in the 1960s World War II television series The Rat Patrol.

[@KevinSmith-yh6tl]

Thanks for the upload Johnny. I've always been a fan of this style hat, ever since watching The Rat Patrol when I was a kid. 👌

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

Still watching the Rat Patrol to this day... love it! 👍🏽🇺🇸

[@KevinSmith-yh6tl]

@@jerryjeromehawkins1712 👍

[@grantking4681]

When I first joined the Australian Army in 1969 the Corps badge was worn on the upturned brim in Australia and the Rising Sun Badge worn overseas, essentially it was a 'generic' badge which had the advantage of not showing an individual or collective their particular Corps. It only later, 1993, the Corps badge was put on the front and the RSB on the brim.

[@l1a146]

Yes thats spot on. When I first joined back in the 80s corps badge was still worn on the upturned brim. The unit colour patch on the pugaree and rising sun on the brim made a comeback later. As a nod to earlier tradition. And the corps badge went on the front.

[@flyingfortress4819]

Funny, I just got my slouch hat from Australia in the other day. I’ve always liked the style of it and Australia is a country I hold in high regard🇦🇺

[@jshwck4210]

And Townsville lined the footpaths As we marched down to the quay This clipping from the paper Shows us young and strong and clean And there's me in my slouch hat With my SLR and greens God help me I was only nineteen

[@kuechenchief]

This type of hat was used by German troops in the German Empire as well. The Schutztruppe, which was stationed in German Colonies in Africa used it with the brim folded up on the right side. It is said it was done to ensure that the soldier can salute correctly without having the brim in the way. The most famous German with this hat was Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck.

[@Rosnoseros]

also used in the colonies of the Pacific

[@colinraine8245]

It was more to do with keeping it out of the way when carrying a rifle than a salute

[@grantdenniston2839]

Where's their helmets ? Slouch dumb idea ,no safety !

[@colinraine8245]

@@grantdenniston2839 British Helmets used in Africa etc were made of cork so protection wasn't a thing lol

[@kuechenchief]

@@grantdenniston2839 They had different uniforms in different regions. In East Africa, for example, they had helmets or in Jiaozhou as well.

[@thomasdubbeldeman3864]

I this also good to mention here that the Italian Bersaglieri light Infantry also have a unique style of hat and helmets with black western capercaillie feathers.

[@thecommentaryking]

Yep, the Vaira (Bersaglieri cap) is quite unique in its style and way of being worn

[@gyffystudios9247]

Nice man, always good to see your uploading

[@MyBlueZed]

You did superbly Cobber! ❤🇦🇺 For extra points: emu is more correctly pronounced like “eem-you”; rather than like “ee-moo”. 😊 “Alright … I’m Johnno”

[@keithad6485]

A commendable effort Johnny; from a retired Aussie Armoured Corps digger. Overall a good presentation, There is more to the history of the slouch hat but I guess you had to keep your presentation short. I served with the unit which introduced the slouch hat to the Aussie Army. The Victorian Mounted Rifles which, sadly, no longer exists. The creator of the VMR was Col Tom Price who previously served with the British Army in India. He was the force behind the introduction of the slouch to the VMR which was later adopted by the Aussie Army created from State military forces in 1903. Some interesting facts on the hat. Official army name is Hat KFF or Hat, Khaki, Fur Felt. Made from rabbit fur. The Rising Sun badge is official known as Badge, GS or Badge General Service. Emu plumes were not universally worn in the Army until WW1 and even then not all Light Horse Regiments wore emu plumes. The NSW Mounted Rifles never wore emu plumes nor cloth pugarees, instead they wore a band of wallaby fur. the 6LH Regiment (NSWMR) can easily be distinguished in Gallipoli photos cos of the wallaby fur. Sadly, the 6th NSWMR no longer exists, in 1960 the regiment was transferred from the RAAC to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and became E Company, Royal NSW Regiment. Well done Johnny, and from an Aussie armoured corps digger to, I guess a Yank, thank you for taking an interest in our military history. A history I am proud to be a part of. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks for adding some info! Greatly appreciated and much respect 🙏

[@erikmann3640]

The Lighthorsemen was a fantastic movie!

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Hear,hear....😊

[@amauryleblanc7979]

My grandfather served the french army during the decolonisation wars in Indochina (today's vietnam) and later in Algeria. During both, he wore a hat kinda similar (though I remember it more like a gurka's hat). It wasn't made of felt, but it was the same silhouette as the slouch hat. He was very found of his hat, and kept using it until his death at 99, in 2022.

[@fransjannson544]

always good to see a new video

[@kenfowler1980]

As someone who used to wear one full time for years and years, you did fine! You even got the puggree right! Cheers mate

[@TellySavalas-or5hf]

In the 1995 war film "Sahara", we are also such a hat on an Australian soldier. And German colonial troops did indeed wear these. Which then wwe featured in "The Young indiana Jones Chronicles: And the phantom train of Doom" (1996).

[@pauljamieson2701]

To the bloke that did the talking from a person from as you would say from down Under you did a bloody good job how you explained the origin of the slouch hat good on you mate

[@velociraptor3313]

Hello mate thanks for covering this and for showing love and respect to my country. You are a wealth of information mate and as an Australian I salute you.

[@samo5260]

Yeah. I'd salute too, but as Hoges remarked in The ANZACs, "We're trying to give it up"!

[@michaelhoward3916]

Inserting a Monty Python clip is always a good move.

[@The1nsane1]

G'day, is your name Bruce?

[@paulwolf7562]

I think I've seen every one of these movies. "ANZACS" was by far one of the best. American slouch hats are a little different than Australian, in that they originally went from a cavalry dark blue, to a gray and later khaki colored. I had a similar hat that was my grandfather's, years ago. Lost it, I don't know how?

[@guylewis7418]

It probably grew legs!

[@OldFellaDave]

The Anzacs, filmed in the mid 1980's, is still the best Australian Military series ever made. The 2015 Gallipoli series is a dead set abortion. The Anzacs still holds up well today ... and is available here on KZbin to watch ;)

[@ghost.2527]

2 minutes is crazy

[@CarolusR3x]

Spent many years working and sweating in one in sunny Townsville. Still have it and will never let it go. Ubique, mates.

[@geordiedog1749]

Thank you ladies and Bruce’s.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Weayy, Geordie Bruce...😅😅

[@geordiedog1749]

@@eamonnclabby7067 Wor JJ does like a Python reference or three.

[@harosokman]

Aussie military member here. Great vid, short, sharp, concise and correct. You could delve into the changes over time but I think you'd just make your audience bored.

[@garfieldsmith332]

Nice video as usual. Wearing a Slouch Hat or not the ANZACS were definitely no slouch in battle. Do Australians call the rest of the world "Up Over"?

[@cameronnewton7053]

No, but we should.

[@BeardedChieftain]

@@cameronnewton7053 Yeah, nah...let's keep to the original nickname for the rest of the world... "Numpties" 🤣

[@scotty9086]

Great video johnny, yes, the slouch hat is mostly only used for ceremony purposes only by the Australian army however they are also issued with another similar style hat without the slouch in it for day to day use when not in the field. The RAAF and navy are also issued with one for day to day use but unlike the army don’t have to wear it after recruits and are given the option of either a cap or a beret to wear. Cheers again from scotty down under 👍🏻

[@fatchili7424]

Ex 3RAR Grunt here: Good doco 👍 3RAR being Para at the time, we wore the Maroon Beret, like most western military Paratroopers... Re: the Slouch Hat, one additional, and to this day distinctive unit Puggaree belongs to 1RAR (The First Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Royal Australian Infantry Corps), they wear a distinctive dark green Puggaree. Here's some info: The green puggaree was first worn by 1 RAR during the Malayan Emergency in 1959-60. The Australian Army was unable to supply 1RAR with new puggarees so a local tailor (Mr. Mohavved Beseek) was commissioned by the unit to supply them made from the same soft green material as the British Force's green shirts. The CO, LtCol Bill Morrow decided that for uniformity, the green puggaree was to be worn by all battalion members. These puggarees became a symbol of 1RAR and are worn by the battalion to this day.

[@je710817]

My dad was serving in the KNIL Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger (Dutch Indisch) 1941 til 1948 and also had the Aussie slouchhat as part of there uniform..he was very proud on it .

[@OsprayDashed]

thanks so much mate for making this video, as my country is often overlooked and forgotten about in major conflicts. great video as always!

[@darksnakenerdmaster]

You pretty much got it all correct. Minor correction though, the reason armoured regiments use it is cause Australia had cavalry until the 40's, so the cavalry units becoming the armoured ones meant that the emu plume stuck around. The way it was framed in the video made it seem like there were cavalry and mechanised units that co-existed at the start.

[@christopherwebb3517]

I remember, as a little kid, sincerely believing that the rim was pinned up on one side so that it wouldn't get in the way when throwing a boomerang. How one's mind wanders when it's fed a steady diet of Looney Tunes cartoons.

[@shreyasmohite8929]

Hey Johnny, was always fascinated by these hats worn by ANZAC troops especially after watching The Lighthorsemen. Now I know. I think the hats have left a mark on some Indian Army Regiments too till today (not specifically slouch hats). You will see that Gorkha Rifles and Assam Rifles still follow these traditions with a very peculiar style of wearing the chin-strap. Many British Indian and Gorkha (Nepalese) troops wore them in Burma Campaign. Thanks for the video.

[@fortis3686]

I would also like to see you cover the Soviet SSH helmets in another video

[@TassyDeval]

Who wants to know anything about the Ruskies?

[@jdelark6428]

As an Aussie this clip makes me very happy. Along with your clip on the Owen submachine gun. If you decide to look at Australia's first (and my understanding, only) attempt to make a home-grown tank - the almighty Sentinel - that might give you a bit of a chuckle.

[@samo5260]

Great Job Mate! Loving your accurate "Non Occa" explanation of an Australian Icon. Back in my day, We were issued 2 Slouch Hats... Grade 1 for ceremonial and formal wear, with the Brim permanently turned up, and Grade 2, for Barracks and semi formal wear, Brim turned down. Both Grades always had a "Rising Sun" affixed to the left Brim. In the case of the Grade 2, the "Rising Sun" faced down and was not readily displayed. That being said, it didn't mean that you'd get away with wearing your "Slouchy" without a badge, as the omission was always picked up by eagle eyed NCOs, or worse, Warrant Officers! I also recall wearing one in the late 80s, in the field, minus puggaree and badges, and, the chin strap shortened and positioned to the back of the head. Cant remember why. Maybe because it was a Reserve unit though.?? BTW "Occa" = Aussie.

[@alankohn6709]

As someone who wears an Akubra (A famous Australian hat brand) hat everyday I get around 5 to 10 years out of a hat with little or no care. Now if you want it crisp and sharp then yes you do need to spend time looking after it but otherwise felt hats are tough and hard head wear

[@ak9989]

I do have 3 slouch hats one ww2 Australia and two modern. Plus 3 US Vietnam worn and bought by MACV. Love the look of them. As a collector of militaria I am hoping to reach 500 hats and helmets soon from 1640 to the present. Its insane🤣

[@SunnieSnell]

Wow i mean WTF LOL

[@paulballenden9366]

I loved my slouch hat in the Army , made you feel like you were actually really in the greatest Army in the world

[@warrenmilford6848]

I'm fairly certain that the plucking the emu plume from a moving emu was never a Light Horse tradition. It originated in Queensland during the 1891 shearers strikes. Qld colonial troops were sent out to the bush as part of the government's response, and to pass the time, they chased down emus to show what good horsemen they were. These plumes became part of the Qld mounted units headwear that went to the Boer War. By WW1 it had been adopted by the Australian Army for its Light Horse regiments, however, there were a couple of regiments that didn't wear the plume in WW1 I believe. The WW1 era plumes were issued as part of the LH uniform.

[@johansmallberries9874]

This channel consistently answers questions I never knew I had, and with no excessive content padding

[@jemc4276]

Yep good effort Johnny. Thanks mate.

[@samuelsinge5489]

Thansk for doing a video on this mate. I loved your Owen gun video and this is just a salute to the Anzacs Thanks mate really appreciate it

[@cameronnewton7053]

Those lovely blokes from across the ditch also wore slouch hats, however as far as i know the mainly wore them in the 'lemon squeezer' style. They were also worn in Burma during ww2 by the british and called 'bush hats' as mentioned by George Macdonald fraser in the book 'quartered safe out here'. They were even worn by the Australian army in vietnam as their primary headgear while out on patrol in the jungle.

[@carmongers]

My Dad served with the RA in WW2 from March 1940 with Coastal Artillery (Canvey Island) and then with the RASC from Dec1944 to March 1946 in Burma, India and Hong Kong with ALFSEA (East India Command). Not too bad for a cockney lad. I inherited his slouch hat which is still in good condition with the pugaree band and the original 36th infantry division cloth badge on the left side. It has a thinnish leather inner head band stamped with the manufacturers name Hall & Philipe Ltd and the date 1943 and the size 6-(and seven eighths). The 36th division badge is a red and white circle, interlocking on a black background. The East India Command shoulder title cloth badge showed a horse head with a flowing mane in black and white that I read somewhere is a reference to the GOC Eastern India Command, Ashton Mosley Mayne. I have all his wartime photos, two of them enlarged and under glass with his badges and service medals on the wall behind me. He was a HARD man but fair and I loved him. So proud of my Dad, and never forgotten.

[@nickjones6065]

Great video Bruce, jolly interesting and informative.

[@kevinlove4356]

Canadian Army veteran here. The Australian hat is very close to the RCMP's Stetson. I am mildly skeptical of the claim that the slouch hat is pinned up at one side for marching at the "slope arms." The reason for the skepticism is that it is very fatiguing to march with the rifle on the same side for any length of time. Which is why there is the drill command "change arms." This can be seen in videos of the recent Coronation Parade. After marching for a while with the rifle on one side, the command "change arms" is given and the unit marches with the rifle on the other side.

[@BeardedChieftain]

As a former Digger, I can attest to the veracity of the history. Not knowing your rank, I run the risk of offending you when I say this (and I don't care because you should have thick skin 😁), but high ranking Officers and Politicians (not much difference) will use all sorts of silly notions to win an argument and as was noted, some States went brim up on "the right" and not "the left" using this very notion that at slope arms, the brim will catch the rifle. This is why no sane Soldier, Sailor or Airman should ever trust a politician or an officer! 😉

[@padraigpearse1551]

The Irish Citizen Army who fought in the 1916 Easter Rising also wore slouch hats and its a very iconic piece of clothing here in Ireland. Examples can be seen at the start of Michael Collins (1996) and the series Rebellion (2016)

[@skelejp9982]

Hello, and thx for this nice video! The Dutch Colonial Army started using these hats, in 1905, made of Bamboo.

[@w014prc7]

I remember in high school (in America, I'm Aussie), one of my classmates got MAD at me when I tried correcting her from e-moo to e-mew. She said it was a difference in accent, and it absolutely is not. I'm glad you addressed it

[@jaydincole3116]

I love the slouch hat from Australia second boer war, both world war and Korean war

[@samwild6630]

The people in the blue uniform at 2:17 are Australian Air Force Cadets, which is a youth organisation similar to scouts but encompassing practices and teaching the respective arm of the defence for they represent.

[@curtisnixon5313]

New Zealand here. You could have mentioned that our army boys have been wearing slouch hats for a while too. Similar to the Aussie ones but a bit different. We have the 'lemon squeezer' version also.

[@mickwarnie8707]

A lemon squeezer is not a slouch hat nuff nuff kiwi

[@nicholaswimborne]

Hats off to you Johnny!

[@aussiegor666]

Good selection of the various Aussie wars movies for video footage there. Nicely done.

[@jamesmaythearsonist]

It's Australia's Pickelhaub or Pith helmet

[@CaptainCook1778]

The emu feathers were granted as a battle honour worn by Moreton mounted infantry for service during the shearer’s strike in 1891 They indeed chased down emus to alleviate boredom and wore the feathers as a proof of their skill. In 1915 all light horse were given the permission to wear the feathers (kangaroo feathers) as part of their uniform. There was a story about a Turkish soldier who swing a light horseman said in Palestine said “I know you, you same bird Gallipoli”

[@matthewcharles5867]

The 6th lighthorse ended up wearing wallaby fur hat bands instead of the kangaroo feathers 🪶 There was quite a lot of official correspondence before units were allowed to wear them due to it originally being a Queensland thing. The nsw mounted rifles for example wore black cocks feathers originally.

[@planetdisco4821]

You did alright mate! I’m an Aussie and I learnt stuff from this video. Just remember that Emu is pronounced EEEEm-You not EEEEm-oooo and you will garner maximum respect from those of us that speak our weird version of English down here in the antipodes. Other than that bang up job! Edit. Just read your top post. You’re all over it 👍

[@Autisticguywithacamera]

You know, the Lego theme Adventurers had the main character Johnny Thunder, who's an Australian army veteran, wearing a slouch hat. I love the research Lego does for their characters like this.

[@lordazn]

Not hat related but every time I met an Aussie air force troop (I am USAF), they always had the PERFECT Steve Irwinian accent. I would see one coming my way so I would give a polite greeting: "Morning, sir." "G'DAYYY MATE!" I still maintain that the aussies do that to mess with us yanks but always got a good chuckle out of me. Judging by their return of smiles, it adds credit to my theory.

[@freemarketjoe9869]

It's amazing the Ausies wore those slouch hats in combat while the English, American, German and Japanese forces all wore helmets. They certainly looked more comfortable and must have made the Ausies feel more free and unencumbered as they fought. I think I would prefer the safety tradeoff and wear one in combat, if given the choice.

[@neilging2614]

i wore it for 25 yrs. in service. you covered a most it, well done

[@mattmcguire1577]

Fashion was the main reason for turning up the side. The har was also worn on a rakish angle. Four fingers above the left ear. Two above the right eye brow. It was not worn horizontally until quite recently.

[@CommunistEDU]

As a Previous QM in the AAC, I can say he did a fantastic job on covering the subject of the Slouch Hat. Good stuff

[@errolfoster1101]

Was very proud to wear mine and would wear it again in a heart beat

[@MikeyCh09]

Nice video. You’re close with current practice but not quite. Slouch hats are still worn by the Army as part of the day to day dress only with brim down, the are not at all fragile and are reasonably easy to care for. The rising sun hat badge is not worn brim down and only worn in parade dress with brim clipped up. The puggaree is a reference to the old British Army but the Australian version has 7 folds, 1 for each state and 1 representing the territories. Unit patch is worn on the right side and corps badge at the front.

[@KJs581]

When Australia became "sun smart" we were all issued Akubra's across all three services, in the 90's I think. We (Navy) wore them as optional headgear with all uniform apart from full ceremonial occasions (divisions) etc. As they were worn with the brim not pinned up, we just called them "Akubras". While Army wear their corp/regiment/etc badge, Navy just wore a rank badge - same badge as you would wear in the Navy on a beret, that is a gilt badge, not a ceremonial badge as worn on the peaked cap. When I was issued with mine, I think I wore it about half a dozen times. Still have it somewhere.

[@iamnotspartacus4460]

It's always good to see Australian specific history and movies get more publicity than normal

[@pbosustow]

The Melbourne Horse Cadets didn't get the recognition they deserved.

[@jackvoss5841]

They’re called a “digger hat”, a fan-the-fire, water-the-dog hat. They are a rabbit fur-felt hat. Akubra makes them. My first one was at Vung Tau in 1966, Stan Tilly, an Aussie legend. I’m on my 2nd and 3rd. Darned good head gear. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying

[@MayumiC-chan9377]

my husband brought one and it’s great quality and he wanted one after he lost his during private security in Botswana

[@mikesuahtla9826]

You did us proud mate. Well done

[@coolhand1964]

You failed to mention the most cherished piece of kit that goes with the slouch hat, known as a 'hat block'. It was a wooden dolly in the shape of the hat and was used to bring a wet hat back to it's original shape. I do not know if they are being made today, but were a prized item in any Company prior to a Battalion or Regimental parade.

[@bruceismay5440]

It’s a brown slouch hat, with the side turned up And it means the world to me. It’s the symbol of our nation, A land of liberty! And the soldiers they wear it, how proudly they bear it, for all the world to see! Just a brown slouch hat, the the side turned up, headed straight for victory!

[@hinaynihorvath3926]

except if you are adopted or first nation

[@mrsaltyauthor5992]

Fun story about the Emu feather, it was first authorised for Queensland Cavalry which led to a uniform feud between Queensland and New South Wales (among other states) well into the 20th Century regarding Cavalry of other states. Some argued it should only be worn by Cavalry Regiments with Queensland heritage while others argued it should represent Australian Cavarly as a whole, the ARA flipped and flopped on the matter for decades before finally committing to it being the symbol of Australian Cavalry as a whole.

[@BeardedChieftain]

Part of the argument in the flip flopping was that only units that wore the plume in WWI should wear it today. That was argued down by all the Armoured guys as that would mean a few Infantry units would be wearing the plume and "we couldn't have that now, could we"! 😂🤣

[@klo1679]

I own a cattleman akubra, and wear it all the time. But as a sign of respect I will never wear it pinned up as a civilian, however a commemorative pin can and will be worn where appropriate to show my respect for our military. I may not have served or ever will, but did time in my youth as a member of the junior light horse brigade (riding horses in the same drills used by the original light horse brigade). I was gifted a pin that is smaller than the official Australian military pin to wear in my hat. I love that cattleman hat I grew up with, I worked and lived in it during my youth, and will be getting a new one seeing as my head is a different size to what it used to be.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

Yeah. I used to have one of those I wore as a Rain Hat in college - but I didn't have the brim turned up on one side. I had a leather cord used as a hat band and strap. The adjustment on the cord was a .45 caliber bullet I'd hollowed out, put a hole in the tip of and then run the thongs for the strap through it and tied them off. I could run that bullet up the strap to adjust the tightness of it. I usually wore the cord behind the back of my head like the Drill Instructors did. I thought about buying a Campaign Hat but never did. I got a lot of use out of that hat over a number of years but have no idea where it is now. I tend to wear a billed cap and jackets with hoods now where the bill keeps the rain out of my face but the hood protects the back of my head. I'll take a Wind Breaker and wear it on the outside of a thicker cloth jacket - so the cloth acts as insulation and the Wind Breaker sheds water and wind. The cap and hood combination is easier than the brimmed hat as the brimmed hat is more difficult to deal with once indoors when it's not on your head than the brimmed cap and the hood just rests on the back of my shoulders if I'm not using it. Having the cap on under the hood works best as the wind can get under the edge of the cap from behind where the adjustment band is and blow it off my head. .

[@indoman8887]

Issued my one and only slouch hat when I joined the army in 1968 and wore it for 6 years as a regular and another 8 while a member of the CMF/Army Reserve. In my day you only wore the rising sun badge during recruit training, them your allocated corps badge during corps training and finally your regimental badge (Royal Australian Regiment) if you were in the infantry. I still have that hat to this day, although it sits on top of my head lke an egg cup and I don’t know if it has shrunk or my head has grown. Great video by the way.

[@BeardedChieftain]

Your head grew Dig! 😂 I know as mine did too.

[@peterwilliams2152]

The leather band shrinks over time. Akubra has a hat stretching device to stop this.

[@BeardedChieftain]

@@peterwilliams2152 most Diggers know this. In fact, most of us know more about caring for a KFF than most hatters. We simply never let a chance go by to put sh!t on each other. 😂

[@peterwilliams2152]

@@BeardedChieftain True, but many RANers and RAAFers don't know this.

[@BeardedChieftain]

@@peterwilliams2152 In your spirit of being helpful to the less fortunate amongst us, pulling the leather band down and essentially turning it inside out, will allow one to use a little Dubbin or similar to massage into the leather and soften it and prolong its life. It will also help preserve the stitching. By applying it to that "back" surface, it avoids oily residue being left upon one's skin and hair.

[@tasty8186]

Great video, but also a bunch of great war film recommendations!

[@hjf3022]

At 2:31 is footage of Australian Air Force Cadets in their parade dress, with the colour mismatched hat. The uniform used to have a dark blue flight cap/side cap. Around 2001/2002 when I was a cadet, they switched us to the Khaki fur felt hat. We all thought it looked terrible at the time wearing an all blue uniform with a khaki hat. I remember the officers telling us at the time that it was temporary and the entire uniform was going to be redesigned. But the hat was pushed out first because of sun protection or whatever. interesting to see that over two decades later, either they gave up on the plan to change the uniform, or they were just making things up.

[@nintendiehard]

Love that Monty Python reference at the end. Great video.

[@Sam_Green____4114]

The British also wore them in the far east , India and Burma especially , the Royal Artillery particularly .

[@spr822]

Boers also wore slouch hats, it was part of their outfit to protect them from the African sun and rain, during the Anglo- Boer war. It was also worn by the Germans in their colonies.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

@@JohnnyRep-hz5qh this is indeed true...slainte..!!..

[@dantetre]

No Battlefield 1 mentionting? - You are Australian. We are impossible to kill! Unless.. Not kiwi are you? - No, sir I am an emu! :D