Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a rather incredible original British Second Boer War-period slouch hat associated with the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, Prince of Wales’s Own, retaining its distinctive colored rosette, cap band and bow, leather sweatband, and original adjustable chinstrap. The hat is not maker- or size-marked but measures approximately size 6 ⅞, and remains in remarkably strong condition for an original piece of Imperial Yeomanry headgear from the 1899-1902 conflict. Headgear from the 2nd Boer War is incredibly difficult to find, and this is the first Slouch Hat from the period we have offered.

The slouch hat was one of the characteristic forms of headgear worn by the Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa. The National Army Museum notes that this broad-brimmed style was almost universally adopted by Imperial Yeomanry personnel during the Boer War, where it was far better suited to mounted operations and the South African climate than traditional home-service headdress.

The left side of this example is turned up and decorated with a striking red-and-purple rosette, together with a matching hat band and bow. The rosette shows some fraying and has an old stitch repair, but remains substantially intact and visually strong.

The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (RWY) was a Yeomanry regiment of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom established in 1794.The regiment took part in the Second Boer War as part of the Imperial Yeomanry. The Yeomanry was not intended to serve overseas, but due to the string of defeats during Black Week in December 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army. A Royal Warrant was issued on 24 December 1899 to allow volunteer forces to serve in the Second Boer War. The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each for the Imperial Yeomanry.

The hat retains the edge trim which has some minor fraying but has held up very well overall. There are some minor stitch repairs in spots, and some staining as well. The rosette also has some fraying with a stitch repair.

This example is particularly noteworthy for the combination of its Second Boer War slouch-hat form, red-and-purple rosette, surviving chinstrap and sweatband, and association with the Prince of Wales’s Own Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, one of the county yeomanry regiments that furnished companies to the Imperial Yeomanry for active service in South Africa.