Rhodesian Grey's Scouts hat

[Alex]

Need to buy a slouch hat looking exactly as Grey's Scouts with feathers, bands and insignia. Ebay is no help. Replica, new, surplus - doesn't matter. Thanks in advance for help!

[Pat Holscher]

You might start with the Akuba on line catalog. Akuba is an Australian hat maker that offers a highly authentic Austrailan army slouch hat. For that matter, somebody is still supplying the Australian army with such a hat and they might be a good source.

I know that they may not be identical, but they might be. Somebody familiar with both hats might be able to enlighten us on that one.

[Alex]

Okay Pat, thank you for lead. Australian hat is good, but I really want to have Grey's Scout-like hat. I'll continue my research.

MfG,
Alexander.

[Pat Holscher]

Okay Pat, thank you for lead. Australian hat is good, but I really want to have Grey's Scout-like hat. I'll continue my research.

MfG,
Alexander.

As long as the crown and brim are of a similar or identical size and pre blocking shape, a person who knows how to block hats should be able to do that relatively easily.

Indeed, you could obtain a hat like that if you were in an area where there were custom hat makers (as there are in this neck of the woods), but they'd be expensive, depending upon materials. Most Australian felt hats are rabbit, where as the better American ones are beaver blends. I think it unlikely that the Grey's hat was beaver, and I suspect it was likely rabbit. Roy probably knows.

For that matter, do we know who the original manufacturer was? That might go a long ways.

[Alex]

Okay Pat, thank you for lead. Australian hat is good, but I really want to have Grey's Scout-like hat. I'll continue my research.

MfG,
Alexander.

As long as the crown and brim are of a similar or identical size and pre blocking shape, a person who knows how to block hats should be able to do that relatively easily.

Indeed, you could obtain a hat like that if you were in an area where there were custom hat makers (as there are in this neck of the woods), but they'd be expensive, depending upon materials. Most Australian felt hats are rabbit, where as the better American ones are beaver blends. I think it unlikely that the Grey's hat was beaver, and I suspect it was likely rabbit. Roy probably knows.

For that matter, do we know who the original manufacturer was? That might go a long ways.

It seems identical but there's always a catch. Then bands, feathers, strap and even the colour - greyish and white. As for the manufacturer I'll try and ask Roy, maybe he retained his old hat from the Rhodesian times. I know that he still have that mighty fine busby hat from his Horse Artillery Troop days.

MfG,
Alexander.

[Pat Holscher]

Alexander, seeing as this thread is evolving from a "wanted" to a manufacture, type, etc. thread, do you mind if I move it to the main forum, where it'll receive a wider audience?

[roy elderkin]

Alexander I am afraid you are in for a hard time finding a bush hat. They are highly collectable, those that have them are reluctant to part with them. You may find one from a collector, but difficult. They were made in South Africa from rabbit fur , getting the colour right is the problem. My own one went to an historical museum, part of a Colonial archives. I would not be able to give you the Name now, as I understand they have ceased putting it on show with most of all the other collectables. There is one place you could try that is the Grey's on face book good luck.

[Pat Holscher]

I wonder if the Rhodesian hats are to a common British pattern, varying in details but otherwise pretty close to each other.

That is, I wonder if a person took a close look at the Australian hat, the Rhodesian hat, the Gurkha hat, and other hats of this general type that saw British and Dominion use, if they'd all prove to be of the same pattern, or not?

One photo I saw of a Rhodesian African Rifles slouch hat showed the hat with a stitched brim, which surprised me as the only brimmed hat I've ever encountered with that feature is the US M1911 campaign hat. Roy, do you recall if your hat had a stitched brim?

[Pat Holscher]

By the way, the Australian army re-authorized the wearing of their slouch hat with their field uniform, outside of combat, a couple of years ago. The basis of their action recalled the original purpose of such hats, they protect a person from the sun. In the Australian case, they were specifically concerned about skin cancer, and I'd note that Australians have the highest incident of skin cancer in the world. I've seen photos of Australian troops in Afghanistan wearing their hats in garrison since the hat was once again allowed in this use.

[roy elderkin]

Pat Grey's hat did not have stitching on the brim, however it was stitched on the crown to create a centre crease. I think the slouch hat was a standard design. Its origin I think was the Boer war, when troops adopted the hat that the Boers wore, the Australians had head gear similar to the US, the brim was turned up on one side for firing purposes. One could say that it was a colonial head gear, the Gurkha's used it in Burma and Malaya when they were with Australian and Commonwealth troops.

[roy elderkin]

Pat I think that one of the things to remember, is the Australians and Rhodesians wore bush hats, where the name slouch hat comes from I am not sure. Standard headgear of the Brit Army was the Pithe Helmet, but the slouch hat bush hat has long been associated with Colonial Troops. I think that skin cancer problems come with poor head gear, hats of whatever description have gone out of fashion. And are somehow related to the wearer being a rancher or farmer, therefore not a city or Town person. There are exceptions to the rule and the wearing of hats considered normal Sorry I Digressed a bit.

[Alex]

Roy and Pat!

Thank you for the replies and information on the subject. I'll contact with a Grey's on Facebook and after that I'll try to speak with societies who do various military reconstructions.

Sorry for so late answer but you both have been a great help.

MfG,
Alex.

[Alex]

By the way, the Australian army re-authorized the wearing of their slouch hat with their field uniform, outside of combat, a couple of years ago. The basis of their action recalled the original purpose of such hats, they protect a person from the sun. In the Australian case, they were specifically concerned about skin cancer, and I'd note that Australians have the highest incident of skin cancer in the world. I've seen photos of Australian troops in Afghanistan wearing their hats in garrison since the hat was once again allowed in this use.

Pat,

I thought the Australians are never phased out their slouch hat from service. But I might be totally wrong of course.

MfG,
Alex

[Pat Holscher]

By the way, the Australian army re-authorized the wearing of their slouch hat with their field uniform, outside of combat, a couple of years ago. The basis of their action recalled the original purpose of such hats, they protect a person from the sun. In the Australian case, they were specifically concerned about skin cancer, and I'd note that Australians have the highest incident of skin cancer in the world. I've seen photos of Australian troops in Afghanistan wearing their hats in garrison since the hat was once again allowed in this use.

Pat,

I thought the Australians are never phased out their slouch hat from service. But I might be totally wrong of course.

MfG,
Alex

You are correct, but they went from field use, to dress use, and back to field use.