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ATS officer cap chin strap query


TigerSS

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Would like some help in finding out the correct answer please.

I have been told that the women's ATS officers cap leather chin strap (1942>49) is just not as wide as the male counter part in the regular army - is this true?

Personally I would have thought that the regular army officers brown leather chin strap would have been used - but it would be interesting to here from others regarding this.

Also were the side buttons used just a standard button or a brass general service type button?

?59033790_ElizabethasATSofficer.jpg.e5a9f5fcfb196b74b393a058f6d9ea4b.jpg

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I don't see any strap on these caps. Found an example as below. This looks narrower than the modern officers' caps. Older officers' caps from WW1 period generally had a narrower strap, and the cap had a more elegant shape. General Service buttons were worn on most caps, apart from Guards and Corps troops.

A WWII PERIOD ATS OFFICERS CAP

1940 Code Dated A.T.S  O.Rs Cap

Here, another example, most likely other ranks', strap stated as a field-made replacement. I would tend to think this is a collector's  replacement using an old leather strap and not correct.

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I still see no strap in the photo, unless it is a very light tan and feint in the photo.
Here is apparently an example in the Royal collections... no leather strap

Queen Elizabeth Addresses U.K. in Rousing VE Day Speech - Variety

The Royal Family on Twitter: "🔍You may have noticed The Queen's ATS cap on  her desk during Her Majesty's VE Day address this evening. #DidYouKnow The  Queen is the only living Head

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Thanks for that and I see what you mean re 'no strap' in the image I posted - I posted that image because it is a clear'ish image and I meant it to show the type of hat/cap that I was talking about - in hindsight probably not a good example to post.

The one you have shown (royal one) didn't have the leather strap as the princess was in a motorised division and they along with the FANY had the cloth strap which went over the head when not being used as a chin strap - you can just see the strap on the right of the photo going over the top, they used the early ATS caps which had cloth straps but later caps had the leather strap across the peak.

Your first image showing the leather strap 'does' look narrower than its male counterpart I must admit - but I wonder if its just the way the photo is taken? 

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The earlier British caps generally had a narrower chinstrap

WW1 1917 Pattern British Army Trench Cap. A very good clean example, now  fitted with an originalWW1 King's Royal Rifle Corps Other Rank's Denim Trench Cap

GENUINE WW1 British Army Gabardine (Denim) Trench Cap | #307955768WW1 British Royal Fusiliers Officers Service Dress Peaked Cap, fine example  of an early war high

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I wonder when they changed from the 'thin' strap to the slightly broader version? - and would that have carried on to the ATS caps?

Looking at your first image it obviously shows that they had a leather strap - but - would you say that - that cap had a narrow or broader strap?

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Hi Tiger, ATS caps generally had a thinner strap as shown in Fritz first post. They are also encountered with a cloth strap or no strap at all. There would also be variations such as private purchase caps, but the standard thin strap is the one most commonly encountered.      

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