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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 12, 2018 13:32:12 GMT 12
This photo comes from the Nelson Provincial Museum's collection in a massive set of studio photos taken during wartime there. I don't recall ever seeing hats like this issued to RNZAF airmen before. They look like they're perfect for cold weather with the fold down flaps, very Canadian-looking. Were these a genuine issue to the airmen for a while?  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 12, 2018 13:32:54 GMT 12
Sorry I tried to turn it the correct orientation but it insisted on displaying how it was on the original website.
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Post by isc on Aug 12, 2018 19:57:14 GMT 12
Of course the old stile Forage cap could be unfolded and the two buttons on the front ended up under your chin, and you had flaps over your ears, don't know if they were ever worn that way, but if the Erk was like one that I worked with at Rex Aviaion, they probably did, after his description of servicing Lancasters in the open on a snow covered airfield, in the dawn light on their return from a raid, although his main worry in the bit he was talking of was finding a dropped sparkplug on a hot engine with no lights.
isc
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Post by davidd on Aug 12, 2018 20:20:12 GMT 12
Dave,
I think you will find that those are in fact Canadian-issue winter hats, in Canada. Our airmen certainly wore them in that country when Jack Frost began to nip. I think there were officer and airmen versions, although they may only have differed in the type of badge fited. I have seen lots of photos of groups of airmen (including RNZAF) wearing these hats.
David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 12, 2018 20:38:00 GMT 12
It seems odd that the photo is credited to the Ellis Dudgeon Collection i.e. as photographer, and he seems to have been a prolific Nelson studio photographer.
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Post by ErrolC on Aug 12, 2018 21:30:03 GMT 12
He might have been sent a group photo from Canada (or a relative with the group photo took it to him) to crop into a portrait? Search for Stuart, 189384 has been cropped out from a group. That would have the photo in his 'collection' i.e. possession, without it being his. Would anyone hassle a relative for doing this?
Also see ref 195272, it's a print of a squadron on/in front of a Catalina.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 13, 2018 8:11:39 GMT 12
Again yes that would make sense. Thanks Errol. They are cool hats. I guess they had to hand them back to the RCAF before leaving Canada?
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Post by davidd on Aug 13, 2018 11:34:29 GMT 12
Dave H,
Yes, they would have been issued by RCAF, so I guess when came the time they would have to hand them back again, otherwise they would be billed for them. Probably a lot more expensive than the usual RNZAF F/S cap too! They would probably have run into trouble before they even left the RCAF station that issued the hats I imagine, as they would have to clear all loaned equipment, including flying clothing items before departure. Otherwise you might have whoever was in charge of the clothing store trying to catch up with you to have your pay docked as you moved around the world.
David D
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Post by camtech on Aug 13, 2018 16:17:55 GMT 12
I note the airman in the centre has his FS cap as far on the side as it could go without falling off.
I remember dad commenting on this practice the first time he saw me with an FS cap canted over. apparently there was a real art to getting the cap to stay put, especially while marching.
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