Mooloo Beret
This is the 1000th beret knitted in the 1960s by ‘Mum’ Milnes for the crew of the frigate HMNZS Waikato.
Mrs Milnes was an elderly woman who ‘adopted’ HMNZS Waikato when it was first commissioned. She designed and knitted hats in the Waikato (Mooloo) rugby team colours.
It is believed that Mrs Milnes, who was from Cambridge, was blind. When she died, the Navy sent a small representation to her funeral.