WW2 Slouch Hat. Pugaree & KC.

[RobertCOUTTS]

Hi,
today I met an old vet. He showed me his medals and some photographs. He was in the Pacific and in Darwin during the first bombing. He started in infantry then went to signals. Okay I believe him, he had a lot of insignia as well and showed me his unit insignia the 54th Batallion I think. Anyhow he said the medals were for his grandkids but no one wanted his slouch hat. He pulled it out of the cupboard. Then he said heres a cap badge and threw me a KC. I asked him and he didnt serve in Japan after the wars end. The pugaree has 5 folds but no markings except the size in ink by hand 7 1/4 it looks like. The hat has artificial leather chinstrap, no markings anywhere visible. Could it be a late war issue. Im not very knowledgeable on Australian which is pathetic considering how many of my mothers brothers, uncles and others served. I always thought Australian unintersting and apart from a few photographs of my grandad from the Light Horse had no collecting interest. Lately I have found camel corps insignia, medals and a japanese sword vet bring back and Australian stuff is starting to interest me. Is this hat correct for what I have been told.
cheers Robert

[RobertCOUTTS]

Slouch Hat

The pugaree, has 5 folds, I believe recent ones have 7.

[RobertCOUTTS]

Slouch Hat

The KC, has 13 points.

[RobertCOUTTS]

Slouch Hat

The inside, I think the chinstrap is leatherette.

[RobertCOUTTS]

Slouch Hat

The chinstrap is attached by a rivet, the strap goes through a space in the sweatband. Im curious as to what others think I cant see why the vetrean would mislead me knowingly. The hat was sitting in the back of some storage space with his other hats all non military. There was a photograph of him in uniform WW2 dated. He said could be the same hat. I dont know.
cheers Robert

[chippler]

this hat isn't military issue. These are the ones you can buy at Aussie disposals.

The rising sun badge is genuine WW2, however.

- Chris

[RobertCOUTTS]

Scammed by a pensioner

wow, thats a first scammed by a pensioner vet. I had some doubts but thought no way a 90 year old would pull a con. His medals and photographs were real. Wonder why he had the hat in the first place.?
cheers Robert

[chippler]

it's quite possible that he wasn't intentionally conning you. He may have lost his hat after the war, or may have had to return it to the Q-store at the end of the war and so replaced his original hat with one he bought at an Aussie disposals store. The hat does look quite old (1960's, 1970's? as the sizing is in imperial) and so he may have eventually thought it was his original one over time.

Just a theory.

- Chris

[Mark Gibson]

He probably bought it to wear at reunions, Anzac day etc. There are many occassions when vet's gather where they turn out with medals and a slouch hat.
I doubt that he has conned you because as far as he is concerned this was his hat even if he didn't wear it during the war.

Mark

[GCG1964]

I agree and second the motions of chippler and Mr Gibson.

Don't jump to conclusions on 90 year old Vet's intentionally "scamming" you.
You must have told him some nice tales yourself to get those items out of him. That badge would be worth half his weekly pension. How much did you give him for them?

I doubt he held onto that hat and badge until he was 90 to make killing on scam.

[RobertCOUTTS]

Nice Stories

Christ oh mighty I didnt tell him any stories I only listened. I know he wasnt waiting to fleece me I was having an attempt at whats known as Aussie sardonic wit and it backfired. Gary which was his name has a quid and any money I gave him wasnt for food. I hadnt intended buying anything when I left home so when the hat was produced I gave him all I had $100. I even told him a WW2 Hat was worth more than that. The KC was given to me as I was leaving, I have no idea on its value but I doubt its more than $30 as you can pick them up at Antique markets for that amount even less. If that makes me bad then Im bad.
cheers Robert