Name/Title
1917-1918 Canadian Engineers' L/Col's service dress cap w/ badgeEntry/Object ID
2019.3.99Description
1917-1918 Canadian Engineers' L/Col's service dress cap w/ badgeUse
A Great War service khaki cap made from drab wool material. The top is flattened and has a front visor. Attached is an adjustable leather chinstrap connected to two chinstrap bottoms on either side of the cap. In the center of the cap is a Canadian Engineers' cap badge. Made of browning cooper, the cap badge includes a laurel wreath, King's Crown, and a beaver in the center with the wording "Canadian Engineers." The lining of the cap is burgundy.Context
During the Great War, the Royal Canadian Engineers were sent overseas to France and Belgium. More than 40,000 engineers served, with many losing their lives on the Somme and Vimy Ridge. Canadian engineers were responsible for constructing defensive and offensive measures, including trenches, roads, bridges, wiring, and gun emplacements. They built storage huts and enforced sanitation regulations. One of the engineers' significant jobs was digging tunnels under enemy positions and placing explosives, killing thousands of enemy troops.
