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    Wolseley Pattern Foreign Service Helmet


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    Here is my latest acquisition, a Wolseley to the Royal Corps of Signals but it was sourced in Canada and could be Royal Canadian Corps of Signals (thanks Clive for the confusion :unsure: ). Note that the flash has been affixed back-to-front as the light blue should be to the front.

     

    Clive, the Governor General's Foot Guards is a beauty but any information on the Hawley pattern as I have never heard of it before?

     

    Stuart

     

    RoyalCorpsSignalsWolseley-eBay290.jpg

    ​Stuart, was the Pagri intended to come off the hat ?

    Sorry if silly question.

    Andy

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    Stuart,

    I missed your query about the Hawley helmet. As an economy measure the US Hawley fibre helmet was adopted (around 1938) for Other Ranks of the Canadian Army. Officers were still expected to acquire the Wolseley. Hawley established a plant in Canada and produced hundreds of thousands of these and they were issued throughout the Canadian Army (in Canada and not to the Active Service Force). Nonetheless, many officers also bought these on repayment from Stores.

    Below is a Hawley helmet flashed to the Toronto Regiment. The use of embellishments was strictly forbidden however. 

     

    DSC06574 RRC Tor Regt Pith.jpg

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    Here is my latest acquisition, a Wolseley to the Royal Corps of Signals but it was sourced in Canada and could be Royal Canadian Corps of Signals (thanks Clive for the confusion :unsure: ). Note that the flash has been affixed back-to-front as the light blue should be to the front.

     

    Clive, the Governor General's Foot Guards is a beauty but any information on the Hawley pattern as I have never heard of it before?

     

    Stuart

     

    RoyalCorpsSignalsWolseley-eBay290.jpg

    ​I can only suggest that this is Australian (where the tendency is to have things reversed - like toilet bowl flows and seasons). Below is a Canadian example which follows the prescribed rules.

     

    RCSigs Museum pith.jpg

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    • 3 weeks later...

    Two photos of a German Gebirgsjäger (Mountain trooper) wearing a captured British Khaki Solar Pith Hat.

    The man served in Greece (Athens) and on Crete, so obviously he picked it up and was allowed to hold on to it.

    GJ - 012a - 'In Tropenuniform für Kreta' mit englische Tropenhelm.jpg

    GJ - 012b - 'Als Tropenjäger - Athen 27.3.41' mit englische Tropenhelm.jpg

    More use of British equipment and gear; a German soldier with a British tent, and the Wolsey helmet on top found a new owner also.

    img831.jpg

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