Stuart Bates

Hi Jeff, I take it you have an interest in Wolseleys. There is a topic devoted to them on the forum and you can see plenty in my Collectors Showcase topic. I am also just finishing off a book devoted to the Wolseley (www.militarysunhelmets.com) so feel free to ask questions if you need to. Stuart

Jeff, this is indeed a Wolseley. It has Vero's patented detachable headband and a patented drop foil lining. Helmets Ltd were based in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire. Stuart

Mervyn, the badge sets the shako off very nicely. A real stroke of luck to have been given it! I meant to ask earlier but is the badge in the photo of the police officer a metal one on a cloth background or is it embroidered? Stuart

Hi Cathey, yes, David is a real brick! I have bought books (Dress Regs and Boer War) and supplied them for him to scan because he has been so helpful (I also wanted them for myself!). The ALs are rather much of the same, year to year, and keep an eye out for India Lists both Civil and Military. You might also find such lists as Kelly's Landed Gentry very helpful when doing research. And it is not a question of being weak - it's what we do! Cheers, Stuart

Hi Cathey, I have 67 Army lists on CD/DVD and all bar two came from YourOldBooksandMaps. The other two from S&N Genealogy. I also have two original hardcover lists. 1. I can't comment on the downloadable side of things because I prefer to have the CD/DVD versions. 2. I generally buy both Hart's and the War Office versions but if I had to make a choice I guess I would go for Hart's as it provides a complete record of an officer's commission and subsequent promotion as well as details of any MIDs and awards he may have received. 3. I think three year intervals is not a bad way to approach collecting these lists. I have been buying for about four years and just bought whatever became available in the period that I was interested in. 4. Not quite sure what you mean here - some lists are a must have if you are researching or interested in a particular era or campaign etc. I am biased as to the supplier as I have dealt with David Ford of Your Old Books and Maps on many occasions and he is very helpful. He has traced officers details for me, found medal cards and tracked down patents etc. Hope this helps, Stuart PS. You're not getting out of swords and into Blue Cloths are you:D

Here is the best I can do with the helmet flash.

You are partially correct Tony as they did not always have DLI. See Churchill #1617, 1621, 1624, 1625. The 2nd Battalion DLI was in Cawnpore 1924 and the photo is named as Darjeeling 1924. Hence my leap of faith. BTW: here is the photo

The best I can do for an enlargement.

Can anyone ID these collar dogs? I think they are Durham Light Infantry. Stuart

Does anyone know what this proficiency badge indicates? I can't make out if it is HS or MS within the wreath and enlarging it any more results in pixelation. I couldn't find it in Edwards & Langley. It comes from a photo dated Darjeeling 1924. Stuart

Chris, could I get a hi-res version of that "A Cape Mounted Rifleman in 1913" photo for my book? And any others appropriate. I haven't heard from Will in a few weeks so am at a standstill on a SA chapter. Stuart

Leigh, will you post the colour card of the Royal Scots trialling the white helmet? Stuart

Absolutely stunning pair of Blue Cloths. It looks as if the furniture has been re-gilded and the silver brought to near-new condition. Do you reckon they were professionally restored? The Blue Cloth was not very well liked by those who wore it. The leather headband took a long time to soften and mould to the wearer's head - I suppose officers could order a much better quality of leather whilst ORs took what they were given. One of the chief complaints was the lack of ventilation around the headband. Britain must have been warmer in those days. The Royal Scots ceased wearing the helmet in 1904 and these examples are post 1891 when the title on the scroll changed to The Royal Scots. Stuart

Who's Who! Brilliant. Who would have thought of it? At £295 not many. But I will locate a copy from an earlier time, rather than pay that amount for the 2009 edition even if it includes online access. Stuart .

Great caricatures Leigh. I have a couple - the best being one of Wolseley from Vanity Fair 1874, which I use in my book on the Wolseley helmet (shameless I know). Vanity Fair was published weekly from 1868 to 1914 so I doubt that this is the source of your caricatures. Spy was the pseudonym of Sir Leslie Matthew Ward 1851-1922 and he worked for Vanity Fair until 1911. He replaced Ape at VF who was the resident cartoonist and did my Wolseley caricature. There was a C.M. Hunt but he seems to have been an American and bio details I could not find. Stuart

Mervyn, I agree that with the WD stamp it cannot be an officer's shako. As to the date of 1900 I think this may refer to the contract date and not the date of manufacture. Officers' badges had gilt Crown, HLI cypher, Assaye scroll and elephant. The badge on the boss was also gilt and described 3 thistles. I seriously doubt that they were worn during the Boer War. Stuart

The Queensland plate would appear to have been issued to the 1st and 2nd Queensland Regiments of Infantry. They wore a white helmet. An illustration I have shows a soldier of the 2nd with a Martini-Henry rifle and is dated 1901. Stuart

The old Regiments.org has the 1st Battalion 40th Foot in NSW and Van Diemen's Land 1823 - 1828. It also has them back in NSW in 1852 - 1854. The website that I gave the link to above (post #16) corroborates this. Stuart

And here is the NSW badge of the Colony plate.

I have posted this before but in light of Mervyn's comments it also belongs here. My Western Australian Boer War helmet with the black swan plate. Stuart

I notice that there are books by J.K. Cossum on Bosley's next auction. Lot number 645 - Vols 1 - 3 of Australian Badges Australian Army Badges, The Rising Sun Badge. I have given up trying to win anything via a postal bid. Stuart

Here is a link to a site that lists all British regiments etc. who served in Australia - http://freepages.his...er1/tobegin.htm Stuart

Mervyn, my Western Australian plate is on a Boer War helmet not a Wolseley. See my thread on Boer War Helmets. I also have a Colonial Pattern helmet with the NSW Badge of Colony plate but I have forgotten the thread The only other Australian badge I have is to the Australian Engineers and is on a 1914 dated Wolseley. Here is a book on Australian Colour Patches. I wish I could remember why I bought it! Stuart

Hi Leigh, this helmet I have attributed to the East Kent (Buffs) because, after WWI, they adopted buff/blue piping to the top of the puggaree. Maybe S. Pellet transferred after the war or maybe it is a completely unknown S. Pellet. Stuart

Will, the others have said it all. Possibly the best collection of its type. Truly wonderful! Stuart