WWI military slang for a tin helmet — the steel combat helmets issued to Allied soldiers that were far from stylish but very much life-saving. The 'derby' reference plays on the shape of the dome, reminiscent of a bowler hat (also called a derby). Soldiers' slang was full of this sardonic wit, finding absurd comparisons between brutal wartime kit and everyday civilian fashion. A small linguistic window into the dark humour of the trenches.
The sergeant told them to get their tin derbies on before moving up to the forward position.
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(military slang, WWI) A tin hat.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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