1946 Dated British Army Jungle Hat. 15th Scottish Airborne Battalion

A very good and very interesting example of a 1946 dated 1945 pattern Jungle Hat with the Drop Zone Badge of the British Airborne 15th Scottish Battalion, the badge inspired by the Wool Hunting Stewart Tartan.

A small size 6 ? the hat follows the wartime pattern which replaced the slouch hats. Waterproof and readily foldable, with a series of mesh covered vents, a wide brim and a series a of loops to allow for the addition of camouflage, these hats proved popular and remained an issue item for many years. The hat in very good, undamaged condition.

 The 15th (Scottish Volunteer) Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, originally raised as 15th (King's) Parachute Battalion by the British Army in World War II.

The Battalion was formed in India during 1945 from the 1st Battalion the King's Regiment (Liverpool). Prior to this the 1st Battalion King's had been part of the Chindits special force and taken part in the second Chindit expedition, Operation Thursday, of 1944. It was assigned to the 77th Chindit Brigade, taking part in the Battle of Mogaung in June 1944. It then became part of the 44th Indian Airborne Division.

The war ended before the battalion was committed to any combat, but a number of officers and sergeants parachuted into Japanese Prisoner of War Camps in Java, Sumatra, Bangkok and Singapore to provide aid to the prisoners. After the war, the battalion was reconverted to standard line infantry as the 1st King's Regiment (Liverpool).

During the Royal Indian Navy mutiny of February 1946, HMIS Hindustan was berthed at Karachi, and occupied by mutineers. When ordered to debark the mutineers refused but finally surrendered after a brief firefight with the 15th (King's) Parachute Battalion, supported by four 75mm pack howitzers of C Troop, 159 Parachute Light Regiment, Royal Artillery.

A poignant artefact from the last days of the British empire.