Caubeen

[Jelly Terror]

All due respect and reverence to those who have worn them, but what a truly awful piece of kit:

JT 18th Caubeen.jpg

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by Jelly Terror

All due respect and reverence to those who have worn them, but what a truly awful piece of kit:

Attachment 140215

I couldnt agree more.

[Phil2M]

Same, always think they look horrible.

[ebro]

Those who have worn them might disagree . They are a great piece of kit.

Eddie

[Phil2M]

What makes them great, Eddie?

[ebro]

Phil,
Everthing. They are made of great material with great padding to a great design. They keep you warm in the winter, cool in the summer and dry in the rain and they are worn by great regiments. They were worn in the B D days with the greatcoat.
Unfortunately the London Irish wear them wrongly with the badge above the right eye, this means the Caubeen, in their case, is pulled down over the left ear. This may help explain why the great Caubeen looks like a 'truly awful piece of kit' in the photo in post 1 .
Eddie

[billy]

Agree with Eddie and there is an eyepatch built into the Caubeen which you can pull down to cover the eye not being used for aiming your Rifle, so both eyes are open and so giving better aim. All the best billy

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by ebro

Phil,
Everthing. They are made of great material with great padding to a great design. They keep you warm in the winter, cool in the summer and dry in the rain and they are worn by great regiments. They were worn in the B D days with the greatcoat.
Unfortunately the London Irish wear them wrongly with the badge above the right eye, this means the Caubeen, in their case, is pulled down over the left ear. This may help explain why the great Caubeen looks like a 'truly awful piece of kit' in the photo in post 1 .
Eddie

Never having worn a caubeen, I am not qualified to comment on the practicalities outlined above. Really interesting to read though, and I am genuinely surprised by the advantages it apparently provides the wearer. Thanks for that and thanks for phrasing more accurately (in your closing line) what I should actually have conveyed more clearly in my opening post: what a truly awful-looking piece of kit.

Divided opinion, it would seem. Chacun à son goût

Can it be said the way it's worn by the London Irish is 'wrong'. Why DO they wear them that way... anyone know?

[Jelly Terror]

I believe the caubeen was also worn by the pipers of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. It'd be good to see a few more images, if anyone is able to post.

[Peter Brydon]

Some photos of the caubeen as worn by the Liverpool Irish.

P.B.

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by Peter Brydon

Some photos of the caubeen as worn by the Liverpool Irish.

P.B.

Thank you, Peter. Great pictures.

[Postwarden]

Two more examples worn.

Jon

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

Two more examples worn.

Jon

Jon, great images. Thank you.

[ebro]

J T,
Not just worn by the pipers of the 'Skins', but by all ranks. Also worn by all ranks of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, although both of these regiments wore blue Caubeens with their own particular badge backing. Jon's first photo is an officer of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. The green caubeen was also worn by pipers from the Irish Guards, although they also wore them with the badge above the right eye. The green caubeen has been carried through from the Royal Ulster Rifles, the Royal Irish Rangers and is worn today by the Royal Irish Regiment.
Eddie

[Jelly Terror]

And do we know why those regiments who wear the badge over the right eye, do so, Eddie?