Australian leather cap and badges AASC

[vigilans]

A really interesting photo taken from a UK dealers site. It shows a group of WW1 AASC diggers wearing leather caps with a rising sun badge (both hat and collar) being worn with an AUSTRALIA title below; also on the shoulder straps is what appears to be an AUSTRALIA title with numeral and likely an ASC title. A really interesting photo of the rare leather cap and an interesting combination of titles and badges....a beauty.

[Roy]

Thanks for sharing that.

I really love the look of those leather caps and would love to have one. I seem to recall during my research into Despatch Riders that I came across one of these Australian leather caps that belonged to a despatch rider. Very cool.

Appreciate seeing this.

Cheerio,
Roy

[fairlie63]

Very intriguing, thanks for showing.

Keith

[Hoot]

Originally Posted by vigilans

A really interesting photo taken from a UK dealers site. It shows a group of WW1 AASC diggers wearing leather caps with a rising sun badge (both hat and collar) being worn with an AUSTRALIA title below; also on the shoulder straps is what appears to be an AUSTRALIA title with numeral and likely an ASC title. A really interesting photo of the rare leather cap and an interesting combination of titles and badges....a beauty.

I agree on the shoulder titles being a company number above an ASC title with the AUSTRALIA title below that. The leather caps were issued to MT drivers and earned them the nicknames of "Leatherheads" and "Benzine Lancers" and probably others. Great image of the caps and gaiters being worn.

[vigilans]

Just a couple more of the panoramic pic - a plethora of leather caps and you you may notice one bloke who appears a bit surely - very funny!
Interesting to note, besides the insignia the caps, bandoliers, gaiters and 303's; it made me think that if a digger was a left handed shooter, would he wear the bandolier over the other shoulder???

[Hoot]

Originally Posted by vigilans

Just a couple more of the panoramic pic - a plethora of leather caps and you you may notice one bloke who appears a bit surely - very funny!
Interesting to note, besides the insignia the caps, bandoliers, gaiters and 303's; it made me think that if a digger was a left handed shooter, would he wear the bandolier over the other shoulder???

The one identifiable vehicle is a Peerless 3 Tonner which probably goes for some of the others as well but at least one of them is rated as a 30cwt.