Slouch hats were first worn by the Victorian Mounted Rifles in 1885. It was originally worn with the right side looped up to make it easier for marching troops to perform the “eyes right” command in parades but as more states adopted the slouch hat, it became more common to wear the left side turned up. The slouch hat was widely worn by Australian soldiers during the Boer War and it was universally adopted for the Australian Army after Federation. It was usually worn with a khaki hatband, known as a puggaree, and a Rising Sun badge on the left-hand side. The word ‘slouch’ refers to the sloping brim. The brim is made from rabbit-fur felt or wool felt and is always worn with a puggaree. The majority of the Australian Army wear the light khaki coloured puggaree, with a unit colour patch sewn on the right side, however, there are slight variations. The seven pleats in the standard puggaree represent each state and one for the Australian Territories.The slouch hat is an object strongly associated with Australian identity.Australian Army standard issue khaki fur felt slouch hat with leather chinstrap, commonly worn as part of a military uniform. Wide-brimmed with snap up latch on left-hand-side. Without Rising Sun badge or unit colour patch. 7 fold/pleat khaki cloth band puggaree around the hat. Dark brown leather sweatband, embossed with a gold stamp identifying manufacture as Akubra, date of manufacture as 1988, size 58, and a broad arrow to signify the hat is owned by the Australian Department of Defence. The slouch hat is also known as a hat KFF, or hat khaki fur felt.headdress

Badge of 4th Light Horse militia unit. The Light Horse units of the 1st AIF all wore the Australian rising sun badge rather than unit badgesMetal (brass?) badge. Kangaroo looking over left shoulder, surrounded by floral wreath. Below are scrolls "Prest daccomplir" and "4th Light Horse". Mounted on emu plumes on backing sheet of two blues colour patch. In glass fronted frame.

The Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) was an Australian part-time volunteer military force of World War II modelled on the British Home Guard. The VDC was established in July 1940 by the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) and was initially composed of ex-servicemen who had served in World War 1. The government took over control of the VDC in May 1941 and gave the organisation the role of training for guerrilla warfare, collecting local intelligence and providing static defence of each unit's home area. General Harry Chauvel, who had retired in 1930, was recalled to duty in 1940 and appointed Inspector-General of the VDC. Chauvel held this position until his death in March 1945. Following the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Government expanded the VDC in February 1942. Membership was open to men aged between 18 and 60, including those working in reserved occupations. As a result, the VDC reached a peak strength of almost 100,000 in units across Australia. As the perceived threat to Australia declined, the VDC's role changed from static defence to operating anti-aircraft artillery, coastal artillery and searchlights. Members of inland VDC units were freed from having to attend regular training in May 1944 and the VDC was officially disbanded on 24 August 1945Hat Khaki Fur Felt with green cloth single band puggaree which has cotton Volunteer Defence Corps badge sewn on, brass rising sun badge on brimMaker's label on head band -RG & RI Stebbins, 14 Willow Court, Donald , Vic 3480