2nd NZ Division headgear

[Dave Homewood]

In North Africa the soldiers of the 2nd NZ Division had both lemon squeezer hats and forage caps (field service caps) along with their tin helmets.

In Italy however they switched to wearing berets. Does anyone know what date the headgear switched? Was it before they moved over to Italy from Egypt or were the berets issued at Taranto or later?

And after the issue of berets did the soldiers retain their forage caps and lemon squeezers or were they disposed of?

[davidd]

Dave H,
The "berets" you mention was actually an entirely different animal called the "GS hat" (or cap?), the "GS" bit indicating General Service. It was the latest British Army idea of what the smartly dressed soldier should look like in WW2. The true beret was a one piece felt item with a head band, whereas the GS hat was made up from a number of speparate pieces of relatively strong woollen fabric (probably serge), much like the New Zealand WAAF "beret". The true beret was the traditional head gear of the Basques of France/Spain, and is fashioned into shape on a mold (I think) by working and stretching the wet felt - apparently quite an art, or more correctly a trade in its own right. Incidentally the WRNZAF (WAAF renamed in 1954) later adopted true berets, as did the NZ Army female members, supplied from the UK or so I believe, made in various colours for the individual service (or Corps in case of the Army), also re-introduced for the men to replace the much maligned GS hat, probably in the early-mid 1950s. I think berets were introduced prewar in the NZ Army (Territorials) for wear by motor cyclists (black beret, known as "Blackberries") and possibly other formations in different colours. Later the Armoured Corps (when it formed in NZ in 1942?) claimed all rights to wear the black beret, because that was how the British did it, so perhaps the motorcyclists sensibly adopted a proper crash helmet after this, and didn't grieve the rather pointless beret.
Incidentally the Field Service cap (or side cap, also known incorrectly as the "Glengarry") was introduced into British Army in about 1880s or 1890s as "undress" uniform wear, and was known then as the "Austrian cap", also picked up in NZ by the Volunteers. It was largely abandoned in British Army by WW1, although it was still worn by the Royal Flying Corps throughout this war, but was not adpoted by the RAF when it formed in April 1918. However in 1936 the RAF suddenly re-adopted the F/S hat (Austrian pattern), and the RNZAF followed suit (although both services also supplied each airman with a peaked SD cap as well.) But I'm wandering off topic here so we will leave it at that.
David D

[Dave Homewood]

Very interesting.

So the "GS hats" worn by infantry and other types in the 2nd NZ Div in Italy were khaki coloured then? And the Armoured Regt troops were black.

I never realised the hat were not berets and were made from several parts. So much for tidier, most kiwis seemed to find a way to wear them really irreverently, over the backs of their heads, haha.