HMS ILLUSTRIOUS Sailor Cap

[Anderson]

Yes, also with the Royal Navy, during WW2 only "HMS" appeared on the cap tally. Quite hard to find a WW2 era cap like Ricks.

[Rick W]

Here is the inside.
The old bloke I got it off stupidly wrote inside it. Whilst correct it's a dumb thing to do
Cheers Rick

[Watchdog]

Yep on the "World Cruise" of the British Special Service Squadron, 1923/24. Or as my grandad use to say with a grin, the "world Booze".

For the uninitiated the instant giveaway before you even look at the superstructure, armament etc is the Tampions (the plugs in the ends of the gun barrels which keep the bores clean when not in action) which on RN ships and fraternal in navies I think, bear the ships crest. I recognised this one instantly as it was the cap badge of the Hood Battalion of the Royal Naval Division in WWI



Regards

Mark

[Watchdog]

Yes, also with the Royal Navy, during WW2 only "HMS" appeared on the cap tally.

Of course, this was a matter of OPSEC (Operational security) likewise the painting out of ships names and the removal of directional road signs on land or the censoring of formation badges on uniforms in photographs.

Regards

Mark