The Digger.

This is coolbert:

More so than the soldier of any other modern army, the Australian troop is most easily recognized at a distance? Distinguished by his wearing of the famous slouch hat!

"The slouch hat: Trademark of the Australian Army"

"Perhaps no other object has been so widely associated with Australian identities as the 'slouch' or 'digger' hat."

"It's a brown slouch hat with the side turned up, and it means the world to me,Its the symbol of our Nation, the land of Liberty. And as soldiers they wear it, how proudly they bear it for all the world to see."

"A BROWN SLOUCH HAT"
J Albert & Son, Sydney, 1942

"The Diggers of 2 World Wars just made it famous and it is now recognised as 'ours'."

OURS! YES indeed! The "Digger" is the Australian soldier. A colloquial expression the result of the Gallipoli campaign [World War One] Aussie troops entrenching themselves had to "dig"!!

A hat worn according to strictly formulated regulation. NO casualness here.

* The side turned up.

* The chin strap.

* The bash [indentations in the crown]

* The rakish tilt with which the hat is worn.

The slouch hat LOOKS COOL!! No doubt about it! Gives the Australian soldier a distinguished, manly, and again, COOL appearance. Looks very sharp!

Seven parts to the web site article. Read it all.

COOL!!!

coolbert.