I have some photos of my father in 173 FA in Egypt and India, but he seems to have several types of headgear. What was standard issue for men in 1940s? Thanks. Sam
Hi, Welcome to the forum. Several types of headwear were in use so it might be best to post the photos. However “off the top of my head” here is a short list for starters - Solar Topee Service Dress Cap Forage/Side Cap “Tin” Helmet Bush Hat Steve
Hi Steve and thanks for quick response. Yes. I'm very new to any sort of forum(s). Hopefully pictures are attached of dad, ie Alan Watkinson, in 3 different caps. He progressed from Private to being a Sergeant at the end of WW2. Please can you explain the different headgear for me? Thanks
In the photos he is wearing a Bush Hat (the Australian looking one with side turned up), a Field Service (FS) cap (the side hat) and a Service Dress (SD) cap (the cap with the brim)
Thankyou AB64, that's much appreciated. Am I right in thinking that the Service Dress cap with the brim doesn't signify rank at all? I'm a bit puzzled why in the formal seated photo with the huge group, Alan is one of the few wearing the Service Dress cap, and the majority have the FS cap. Cheers.
Officers pretty much always worse SD caps of a high quality smooth material, before WW2 other ranks wore a version that was made of rough serge similar to their uniform, early in the War some units still wore them but they tended to get fazed out - sometimes Warrant Officers (Sergeant Majors etc) hung on to them to show their authority. The group photo is a bit of a mish mash - you can see the officer fairly central with his SD cap but not really clear why there are 3 others wearing them - possibly the are old soldiers and its a bit of a status symbol, but thats just speculation, it may have a deep meaning or may just be random - I think its one of those things that can't be answered.
Thanks AB64 for your suggestions, it's a lot more than I had before. I wish he was still here to ask, but that's always the case. Cheers.
Looks like Alistair has answered all your points. The uniform worn in the last photo suggests to me it was taken pre war or at the latest 1939/40 - before the tunic was phased out and replaced by battledress. Steve
Thanks Steve for the suggestion. Alan actually wrote on the back of the photo "On the front at Alexandria", which I'm assuming is Egypt. He definitely didn't go anywhere overseas until he was enlisted, and I have his service record showing that he disembarked in Egypt on 25 Aug 1940 and appears to have been there with 173 Field Ambulance until he embarked for Tobruk on 19 Sep 1941. From what you say, it is indeed quite unexpected that he is wearing this uniform at the time he was there.
Hi, Just on the cusp of the change. The “front” will likely mean the seafront promenade in Alexandria. My father was in Mustapha Barracks there Nov 37/Oct 38 and April 39/July 40 before going into the Western Desert. The 6 month hiatus was when he was on active service in Palestine as shown in my Avatar photo (he is on the left with his pal who was commissioned into RA 1945.) Steve