A "Why" Dress Thread split from OCdt Speaks at Freedom Rally

[FJAG]

They were horrendous. Whoever thought that one up had to have had a laugh thinking "Damn they actually bought these".

Bet you don't remember these little beauties:

They did have little earflaps inside that you were never allowed to unfold to actually keep your ears from freezing.

 

[OldSolduer]

Bet you don't remember these little beauties:

They did have little earflaps inside that you were never allowed to unfold to actually keep your ears from freezing.

Actually LCol Gollner CO 2PPCLI made us wear them in the winter of 76-77. Base Clothing Stores was swamped with soldiers trying to obtain one.

 

[FJAG]

Actually LCol Gollner CO 2PPCLI made us wear them in the winter of 76-77. Base Clothing Stores was swamped with soldiers trying to obtain one.

When Benson was made MND in Jan 72 3 RCHA had to fire a salute for him in Winnipeg in the middle of what turned into a blizzard on the way back to Shilo. We had to wear these things (flaps neatly kept folded up and tucked out of the way so that we looked sharp and not warm)

 

[sarahsmom]

Wasn't there a regiment in Pet that had to endex early a couple years back because too many people failed to bring appropriate winter kit ? RCDs, was that you ?

It was an early January snowshoe ruck march, one of those 4AM recall things that Pet used to do too many of under the old Bde Commander. Rumour has it when the troops showed up with missing kit someone said let's go for a ruck march and show them why they need all their kit. But the issue was they had a number of newly posted in troops who hadn't had their kitting appt at clothing, and that's why they had missing kit. Such a mess! Dragoon popsicles!

 

[dimsum]

I tried to find a picture of the damn things but it seems that none of us at the time allowed anyone else to take a photo of us wearing them.

This?

 

[Old Sweat]

As I remember, the ear flaps were sewn inside the cap, so that if your cap fit properly, the flaps could not be folded down to cover the ears. Being the Canadian Army, the correct size in sergeant major land sizing protocol was perched on top of one's head, and with the bottom of the cap an inch or two above the ears. And did I mention, we used to replace the buttons for the chin strap with regimental pattern and shine them, as well as spit polishing the chin strap and blocking the body of the cap for stiffness. In other words, we were cold, but oh so sharp.

 

[dangerboy]

In 1992 while with 3 PPCLI in Croatia we were issued with a UN version of a hat like that, very cheaply made. I don't think anyone actually wore it, we preferred the UN toque. Will have to look to see if I still have mine, stashed away in a box.

 

[daftandbarmy]

In 1992 while with 3 PPCLI in Croatia we were issued with a UN version of a hat like that, very cheaply made. I don't think anyone actually wore it, we preferred the UN toque. Will have to look to see if I still have mine, stashed away in a box.

Because nothing says 'Canadian Peacekeeper' like a light blue toque, eh?

 

[Blackadder1916]

You were spared the indignity of the old green work dress winter baseball caps with black fur fold-up ear flaps.

Too many - one is too many - students on my PFT in Portage in January 1979 wore those fashion horrors.

I thanked God in Heaven (well, I would if I believed in such claptrap) for the Elmer Fudd cap. While you may have been able (as an OCdt) to leisurely stroll or drive from quarters to flight line to classroom on the bald prairie, those of us who had to march from barracks to school during one of the most horrendous winters of the 1970s in Borden credit it a good piece of kit (even if it looked stupid). And yes, we wore it with the flaps down and also wore that horse blanket material greatcoat. At least, once we got to Borden, we didn't have to continue wearing neckties with work dress as we had to do in Cornwallis.

 

[FJAG]

I thanked God in Heaven (well, I would if I believed in such claptrap) for the Elmer Fudd cap. While you may have been able (as an OCdt) to leisurely stroll or drive from quarters to flight line to classroom on the bald prairie, those of us who had to march from barracks to school during one of the most horrendous winters of the 1970s in Borden credit it a good piece of kit (even if it looked stupid). And yes, we wore it with the flaps down and also wore that horse blanket material greatcoat. At least, once we got to Borden, we didn't have to continue wearing neckties with work dress as we had to do in Cornwallis.

As OCdts in Shilo in mid-winter we had to march, that's march son, a kilometre each trip from our quarters to our classroom to the mess back to the classroom, to the gun park, back to the mess and our quarters at least four times per day through snowbanks and howling winds (but mercifully not uphill ever because ... Shilo) wearing battle dress with ties.

We did however wear over boots (and frequently mukluks), arctic mitts, toques and parkas with the hoods up because we didn't have dumb leaders.

 

[Loachman]

Bet you don't remember these little beauties:

They did have little earflaps inside that you were never allowed to unfold to actually keep your ears from freezing.

The picture will not open up for me for some reason. Is that the black-fur dress hat with the green flap on the left-hand side?

 

[FJAG]

The picture will not open up for me for some reason. Is that the black-fur dress hat with the green flap on the left-hand side?

Yes it is. I can't recall what it was something like the busby that the artillery band and our ceremonial gun crews wore (only green) and not so well formed. I think RMC had something like this too with a red flap.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Yes it is. I can't recall what it was something like the busby that the artillery band and our ceremonial gun crews wore (only green) and not so well formed. I think RMC had something like this too with a red flap.

Yet another reason to be thankful when you're based in BC like, you know, not wearing the 1812 pin becasue we didn't exist back then

 

[cavalryman]

I think RMC had something like this too with a red flap.

Can confirm.

 

[Loachman]

Yes it is. I can't recall what it was something like the busby that the artillery band and our ceremonial gun crews wore (only green) and not so well formed. I think RMC had something like this too with a red flap.

The Franco platoon on my Chilliwack course would occasionally remove the flappy thing, pull the top of the hat up, and wear them sideways while marching and singing and carrying mops through the (then brand-new) shacks late in the evening.

They sold for $3.15 in Clothing Stores as an optional item. I bought a bunch one year and gave them to people as tea cosies for Christmas.

I found mine a few months ago. There was foam in the ear flap thing when new, but it had crumbled to dust and persistently leaks out now. The interior location of the ear flap was stupid as the hat would slide down one's head when they were deployed, but it was nice that they went all around the inside so that one could also keep one's eyeballs warm in very cold temperatures.

Why a northern country could not provide decent cold-weather hats is one of the great mysteries of all time.

 

[Mick]

Yes it is. I can't recall what it was something like the busby that the artillery band and our ceremonial gun crews wore (only green) and not so well formed. I think RMC had something like this too with a red flap.

RMC called it the "astrakhan" if I recall correctly. I preferred the dark blue toque - it was allowed to cover your ears, and looked less....ridiculous.

 

[Mick]

RMC PT toque...also fairly ridiculous.

 

[SupersonicMax]

View attachment 65342RMC PT toque...also fairly ridiculous.

This ain't right. The pom pom is still attached.

 

[Remius]

Would have been in style in the 70s.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The Franco platoon on my Chilliwack course would occasionally remove the flappy thing, pull the top of the hat up, and wear them sideways while marching and singing and carrying mops through the (then brand-new) shacks late in the evening.

They sold for $3.15 in Clothing Stores as an optional item. I bought a bunch one year and gave them to people as tea cosies for Christmas.

I found mine a few months ago. There was foam in the ear flap thing when new, but it had crumbled to dust and persistently leaks out now. The interior location of the ear flap was stupid as the hat would slide down one's head when they were deployed, but it was nice that they went all around the inside so that one could also keep one's eyeballs warm in very cold temperatures.

Why a northern country could not provide decent cold-weather hats is one of the great mysteries of all time.

Probably for the same reason that the British Army didn't issue rain gear until 1985.