Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

Cap, Uniform, Peaked, Coloured

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Overview

The peaked cap, service cap. forage barracks cover or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the armed forces of many nations as well as many uniformed civilian organisations such as law enforcement agencies and fire departments.
The derives its name from its short visor which was polished leather but increasingly is made of a synthetic substitute. Other principal components are the crown, band and insignia, typically a cap badge and embroidery in proportion to rank. Piping is also often found typically in contrast to colour.

Historical information

The Australian Army adopted peaked caps in 1902 both the new khaki field dress and in coloured form and it remains in use but the slouch hat has become the symbol of the Australian soldier.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-99-008

Inscriptions and markings

In Australian use following the traditions of British Army, the regiments and corps are easily recognizable due to the unique and distinctive badges prominently displayed on their caps. These badges serve as a visual representation of the unit’s identity and history. In contrast, the rising sun badge was the standard form of cap badge of the AIF during wartime.

Contextual Information

The Army Museum retains a large collection of coloured peaked forage caps in its collection. Variations exist in peak decoration according to rank. Variations of cap band colours exist for branch, corps or regiment. Variations in detail and construction exist between manufacturers. Dress manuals and instructions for appropriate eras are followed to match the correct style and variation of cap to tunics displayed.

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

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