Gor Blimey!

The winter of 1914-15 was one of the coldest on record. 
In an attempt to ensure that the men at the front received as much protection from the elements as possible, the Army designed a new form of service dress cap. Designed to be worn firstly as a cap, but when required, as a balaclava as well. 
Thus in mid-November 1914, the first 'Caps, Winter Service Dress' began to be issued to the men of the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Regiment's. 
Unsightly in their appearance, they were a complete break-away from the traditionally smart style of headdress worn by the British Army till that time. Hugely disliked by many of the recruits of Kitcheners New Armies, who had the misfortune to be issued with them, they marked one out as a 'newbie.' Quickly this novel form of headdress became known as the 'Gor Blimey' due it was said, to the exclamation of the first Sergeant-Major who saw one on parade for the first time.
By March of 1915, their manufacture had ceased and they became limited to being issued only to troops proceeding overseas. For No. 2633 Private George Sutton (above) who enlisted in the Cambridgeshire regiment in November 1914, he was issued with just such a cap. The Army had a problem too regarding the rest of it's winter clothing... 

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