Diggers and Slouch hats was Re: KNOCKING THE

At 04:10  1/04/02 -0800, John L. wrote:
>If the Aussies give up diggers, civilization is
>doomed.

Actually the nickname digger has little to do with the hat, the
Australians 
weren't the only ones use slouch hats, some unit's in other countries
have 
also used them (some British units, and South Africans spring to mind as

examples). Although no nation embraced it as much as Australia.

The reason for the up turned brim was because it interfered with rifle 
drill, you were more than likely to spear the hat on the end on your 
bayonet or knock the hat off. Today the Slouch Hat is purely uniform as 
rifle drill and the weapons used have changed and the brim is only worn
up 
for ceremonial reasons (marching on Anzac Day for example). In day to
day 
the hat is worn with the brim down, this is for purely practical reason
of 
avoiding skin cancer.

As for the term "digger", this was the nickname given to soldiers of the

AIF (Australian Imperial Forces) in WWI, because they spent a lot of
their 
time DIGGING.

Cheers

Derek

Derek Fulton
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Tasmania,  7018.
Australia

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