The Australian Army and, perhaps, armed forces of other countries use a brimmed hat that incorporates the ability to secure one side against the crown. Aside from being interesting to look at, what benefits does this feature offer?

So rifle sights are unshielded was what I had always heard?

Looks cool, but doesn't seem to have a practical purpose. Back when I shot competition, I used a broad-brimmed boonie hat. Not the short-brimmed version. I starched the brim so it was hard as a board and shaped it so the brim came straight down on both sides of my eyes. It reduced if not eliminated the issues with respect to the angle of the sun and sharpened the sight picture.

I posed the question in another forum also, the Fedora Lounge. The consensus there is that its reason for being is to allow infantry drill to be without difficulty - interference of hat brim and SMLE No. 3 Mk. I that were issue military rifle for the Australian army through World War II. Is this consensus an accurate assessment? Dunno.

From Wikipedia, that 100% accurate website used to settle all arguments

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slouch_hat

Today it is worn by military personnel from a number of countries, although it is primarily associated with Australia, where it is considered to be a national symbol. The distinctive Australian slouch hat, sometimes called an "Australian bush hat" or "digger hat", has one side of the brim turned up or pinned to the side of the hat with a Rising Sun Badge in order to allow a rifle to be slung over the shoulder.

From the horses mouth, errr the Australian Army official website:

http://www.army.gov.au/Our-his...tions/The-Slouch-Hat

The Army refers to the slouch hat by its official designation; Hat khaki fur felt (KFF) - to everyone else it is a ‘Slouch Hat’.

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.

History has it that the origins of the Slouch Hat began with the Victorian Mounted Rifles; a hat of similar design had been worn in South Africa by the Cape Mounted Rifles for many years before 1885. The design of the Victorian Mounted Rifle hat originated from headgear of native police in Burma where Lieutenant-Colonel Tom Price had recognised its value.

The Victorian hat was an ordinary bush felt hat turned up on the right side. The intention of turning up the right side of the hat was to ensure it would not be caught during the drill movement of “shoulder arms” from “order arms”.


There is a bit more on both websites that makes for interesting reading.

Actually it is NOT shoulder arms it is "slope" arms.

What Mark posted, plus one...

I'm in the Royal Australian Air Force and we get issued the hat khaki fur felt but we don't turn up the side. We can wear it as a day to day hat with our DPCU but for ceremonial parades we will wear our peak hat. The Army wear it as a day to day hat with the side down. They put the side up in ceremonial parades etc.

I just looked at a description of one of the Australian Akubra slouch hats, that is made with a "latch" to put the side up. Thing is the side that is put up is the left side. It would seem to me since most shooters are right handed they would put the right side up so as not to interfere with the gun.

Could it serve as not to touch the gun when the gun is shouldered on the left shoulder while drilling or marching in arms.