WW2 British hat - Royal West African Frontier Force (R.W.A.F.F)

[oldrag71]

Hello all, 

Looking to all of the knowledge out there.  Will someone please identify the flashes on the side of this hat?  I have scoured the web and cannot locate them (probably looking in the wrong place or calling them the wrong thing).  

 

Was this type of hat used in a specific area, Country or region?  I see a lot of slouch hats with the wide hat band and they appear to be Australian....any info on the hat would be great.

 

Thanks!

[Kia kaha]

The Hat, Khaki Fur Felt you have is from the W.W. II era Royal West African Frontier Force or R.W.A.F.F.  A unit which fought in Somaliland, Italian Somaliland, Abyssinia, and Burma. This unit had 25 battalions each with its own flash a coloured triangle wth a coloured bar beneath. The badge missing from the turned up side would be 

A very nice condition hat many don’t have the liner anymore as they were removed to make them more comfortable.

the patch on your hat may have been red once as the sun can fade red to beige or buff colour.

this was worn by a Major in Burma. Liner removed.

[patches]

Kia kaha Good Show on the ID.

 

Question. The Colored Strip, would this then is part of a Battalion designator, or a Regimental designator with the Colored Triangle being the Battalion?

[Kia kaha]

24 minutes ago, patches said:

Kia kaha Good Show on the ID.

 

Question. The Colored Strip, would this then is part of a Battalion designator, or a Regimental designator with the Colored Triangle being the Battalion?

Battalion designator is the colour bar (black and yellow maybe Gold Coast?).  the Regimental designator is the triangle shape and Brigade designator is the colour of the triangle. I think??? Finding info on this patch is a nightmare 

The coloured triangle designates country/Regiment

Red Div HQ
Green Nigeria
Yellow Gold Coast
Blue Sierra Leone
Brown The Gambia

[patches]

Then here is a Nigerian one, Green Triangle, here we see that Blue and Yellow Strip again. Hat is one of a few variations that could be seen with these Slouch Hats right, as this one has no Ventilation Grommets, just neatly punched tiny holes for that, plus this one has a large puggaree around the hat band area.

[patches]

Here's one the Red Triangle for HQ, with an White and Grey Strip.

 

[patches]

Another Nigerian one, this time with a different Strip Red Yellow Blue