Home Service Helmet

[Stuart Bates]

The spike and base for the OR's, don't let the arm of the crosspiece behind the spike fool you -

Edited May 10, 2010 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

An officer's spike and base -

[Stuart Bates]

Here is the screw thread inside the helmet and the two leather wedges securing the west/east arms of the crosspiece.

[paul w]

Thanks for posting those pics Stuart,could you post some with a larger view of the helmet itself,cheers,

Paul

[Stuart Bates]

Paul,

here are a couple of full-shot photos of the OR's helmet. Don't forget that the RM plate is anachronistic as they discontinued the BC in 1905 and, in any case, the date of 1907 does not gell with the QVC

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

A 3/4 rear view and note that the "high-hook" is an integral part of the crosspiece

Stuart

[paul w]

Hi guys,I finally got the ORs Home Service Helmet I was after.Its WD stamped for 1912 and has a Compton and sons label for the same date it also has stamps for the Aldershot Tatoo.The helmet is without a plate (at the moment) and looks like it had a Victorian plate fixed for a substantial period of time as you can see the outline on the front.The fittings are in good nick and all in all I'm very pleased with it,cheers,

Paul

[paul w]

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[leigh kitchen]

Nice that it's got chinchain & other fittings - anything to indicate use by a particular unit?

Edited June 25, 2010 by leigh kitchen

[Stuart Bates]

Paul,

congratulations, you finally got a nice one!

I can see the outline of the QVC of the helmet and one must wonder why the Aldershot Tattoo people applied such a plate to a 1912 helmet. Maybe it was for a re-enactment of some Victorian episode.

If anyone knows about the Aldershot Tattoos I wish they would start a thread because the subject is a mystery to me, and others I suspect.

Cheers,

Stuart

[paul w]

There are no unit markings on the helmet Leigh just the tattoo stamps and makers label.The Aldershot military tattoo originated in 1894 when one was performed for a visit by queen Victoria and again in 1897 for her diamond jubilee.They were then an annual event till the end of the Boer war when apparently they were stopped.In 1922 I think, they were started up again and became a massive annual event with up to 5000 troops taking part in historical re enactments of events such as the burning of Moscow and the battle of Waterloo and displays by the massed bands.The regular army turned in it's home service uniforms on the outbreak of WW1 and apart from regimental bands and a few odds and sods these uniforms were never worn again.A lot of them ended up in the stores belonging to the aldershot tattoo and were issued out for the historic re enactments so you can see how the Qvc plate ended up on the 1912 helmet Stuart. The tattoos continued up to 1939 when WW2 put the mockers on it again.All proceeds from the tattoo went to military charities,after the second world war a military show was held annually in aldershot and still is, usually in June though not, unfortunately on the same scale as the old tattoo of the 1920s and 30s.Hope that's of some help,

Paul