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Forage Caps

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:30 pm
by Obadiah
Hi there, I'm from the 2/95th in the UK. We have just changed over our forage caps from the round type to what is known as the Wedge type {Tea Cosys}. As the Glengarry's were issued with 95th undress kit, what is your views and thoughts?

Here is a link to our webpage on our new kit. http://www.95th-rifles.co.uk/equipment%20update.htm

Hope to hear from you soon.

Regards

Dave

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:27 pm
by Glengarry Fencible
Hey Dave

Most of us have the round type, but oru RSM has one similar to the ones you are going to.

There is a debate going on in the Crown Forces as to what we should be wearing, fron the bellboy looking caps to the stocking type.

Can't really say for sure, but we do have a description of the caps worn in winter. I'll try to find a picture and the description, and post them in this thread.

Forage Caps

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:49 pm
by pud
Dave,

Good to have you on the Canadian side of the "big water", even though it is only electronically.

As for the "pork Pie" (round) forage cap; it certainly was the standard issue, but the Regiment of Glengarry Light Infantry, as a Fencible Regiment here in Upper Canada (province of Ontario), was anything but "standard".

There were many influences for our regiment: Yours, the 95th, for our tunic; Scottish Highlander because of the settlements that most of our men came from, as in Dundas, Stormont, and Glengarry counties (even though there were a few Turkish and perhaps even African men in our ranks); Canadian Fencible buttons on our tunics, because they were in abundance at the time (why make more and different ones when they were "only" destined for a "fencible" regiment); Canadian grey-cloth for our "bounty"-issue of pants (grey pants manufactured in Montreal), even though the regimental-issue was originally green cloth pants, like the 95th; Canadian short-boots, as opposed to the British Brogan; and, a very heavy french-Canadian influence with regards to our winter-cap issue (rather like a wedge-shaped cap of regimental colour with a front cloth plate that was black to represent the facing) It even had a fairly lengthy tail that was apparently long enough to drape around the man's neck to offer some kind of neck-warmth. (I've heard it referred to as a "night-cap" style from the 1920's through 1950's which was both French and British in background) This theme was carried over to the undress (forage dress) certainly amongst the Lower-Canadian Fencible corps known as the "Canadian Voltigeurs" and because the Glengarries spent so much of their time in Montreal, Quebec it has been suggested that some of them (whether they were Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles, or Glengarry County Militia) used a common wedge-shaped forage-cap as well.

Personally, I have a "Pork-pie" and a "Canadian-Cap" version of the forage-cap. When I'm at more relaxed events where I'm more free to play the First-person role I wear the Canadian-Cap (wedged-shaped) and at other more "stuck-up" events (there's a lot of that going on around here these days) I wear the pork-pie.

So, enlighten me/us. Give us the background as to why you're pondering a change for the forage cap within the 95th.

Cheers mate,
Pud

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:31 pm
by Glengarry Fencible
Here's a picture of our winter kit:

Image

The picture isn't that clear, but it's a green cloth hat with a tassle that hangs over the left side. Mine is beaver fur, although we don't know what the originals were. Perhaps bear, beaver, muskrat, or all of them.

We'll be wearing them in the next couple of weeks when we head to Ogdensburg!

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:46 pm
by Obadiah
Hi Guys, thanks for your replies.

The reason we have changed our forage caps that the round {or prok pie, stable cap} were not issued until well into 1813 or 1814. So what were the regiments using? There apears to have been two types of caps used, the Stocking cap which were made from the tails of coats and there was the wedge cap. The wedge cap seamed to be more common and were made from wool cloth other than in regimental colours, like the 44th which had yelllow facing but their forage caps were black edged in red. We knew our caps were green as a statment refers to us send the GLI green forage caps. If they were edged in white we are not sure. In 1813 The Army decided to standardise the forage cap, and what was issued was a round style cap with a headband but it was made from woven wool {knitted}. Period images show differnt regiments wearing a blue/grey coloured cap with a white headband and pommel. There seams to be no regimental differences execpt the regiments number woven on the headband. Examples survive of the stocking, wedge and the first regulated cap but I do not know of any thing like the round {pork pie} cap in wool cloth and in regimental colours.

We are the only 95th unit in the UK and any where esle that have changed our forage caps. It is very radical and we have yet to wear our new caps in public. We are prepeared to get slaged off.

All Best

Dave[/img]