Stuart Bates

I forgot to say that the book will be available either from the USA or Australia for shipment worldwide and can be ordered via www.militarysunhelmets.com PayPal is accepted. Stuart

Peter Suciu and I have just published a book entitled Military Sun helmets of the World. It covers countries from Britain to America, Germany to Paraguay. It is a hardcover book and contains nearly 200 full colour helmet and black/white period photographs. Dare we say a must for those interested in sun helmets? But that is blatant selling hype - Check out www.militarysunhelmets.com for details - and make up your own minds. I have to say that moving from simply collecting to publishing has been a real fillip. We hope some of you feel that it has been worthwhile

According to my references, The King Edward's Gurkhas had a black and scarlet flash made from a piece of the diced border of the Kilmarnock cap. It comprised 6 squares of dicing where the 1st Battalion had the scarlet square facing to the front and the 2nd Battalion the black. The arrangement was - black/scarlet or scarlet/black scarlet/black or black/scarlet black/scarlet or scarlet/black and the "to the front" referred to either of the top squares. Stuart PS. I didn't buy it.

Leigh, I did suggest that the first letter looked like an 'H' but i don't trust my failing eyesight. I really must get myself a magnifying light. Thanks, Stuart

Dan, I could use a couple of good photos. Ones that show troops in action (manouevres) or ones that show a badge, piping etc. to the helmet. I will PM my email address so you can send a few lo-res photos. Check out www.militarysunhelmets.com for the first book that Peter, a writer in NY, and I have just published. Stuart

Dan & Graham, thanks to you both for the good information. I want to use this photo in a book that I and a colleague are writing on the Wolseley helmet and was prepared to say "unknown unit etc". Instead I went to my favourite forum and now have something decent to say. I found a copy of the book on proficiency badges, previously mentioned, at a reasonble price and have ordered it. Cheers, Stuart

Hi Graham, I just found out that the farriers wore a horseshoe insignia. There is a book "British Army Proficiency Badges " by Edwards & Langley which sells for up $250. I also joined a forum (forgotten its name temporarily) as it had photos of speciality badges. However, having registered and gone to the topic the photos still won't display. Stuart BTW: www.militarysunhelmets.com

Dan, You could very well be right about the horse bit insignia and that would make RHA probable for the shoulder title. I had H(AC) stuck in my mind but RHA is more likely. Well done. Stuart

Thanks Dan, I trust we are correct. Looking at the photo again I noticed the shoulder titles on the two soldiers to the centre of the photo but can't make them out. If I enlarge it more it loses all definition but I would say it could be an H to start with- I am not big on uniforms but these look like the 1902 pattern and I read that the pleats to the pockets were dropped sometime during WWI as an economy measure. It appears that they were they re-instated at a later date at least for officers. There also appears to be some insignia on the seated soldiers right sleeve and what is the significance of his lanyard? Stuart

I have just acquired this photo but it has no details, and on the back Carte Postale. The card is 3.5" wide x 4.9" high. By zooming in on the badge of the left hand soldier and superimposing another badge I think it might be an artillery unit. The bandoliers would appear to be the 1903 pattern which were superseded in 1908. Anyone any ideas? Thanks, Stuart

Well the seller now says it may be dark blue but is that simply to engender my interest? If dark blue that could mean the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Stuart

Eric, if it were dark blue that would have made it easy but it is described as black. If I buy it i will be able to tell but the seller insists on its being black. Stuart

Does anyone recognise this flash? It is described as black/red/black but having checked all of my references I have not been able to identify it. Many units had black and red but I have not seen a flash with two black and one red vertical stripes. Thanks, Stuart

Geoff and Jonas, thanks for all of your help. Stuart

The link is active but for how long? Can anyone supply me with the archive? It is indeed a sad loss. Stuart

Does anyone know what has or is happening to www.Regiments.org? The site has been "temporarily" unavailable for a long time now. I don't have any contact details so decided to create this topic. Stuart

Thanks to both of you for the example and information. It certainly is an arcane area. Stuart

Hi Mark, the helmet has been positively identified as being to the East Kents (Buffs) which was the old 3rd Regiment of Foot in the British Army. I have verified this with an expert in the UK, one in the US and the Buffs museum has an example. I am still suspicious of the flash on the museum example but without actually touching it cannot be dogmatic. I have two Signals Corps Wolseleys each having the light blue/dark blue/dark green flash but in earlier times they had a white/light blue flash and I think piping. Stuart

OK! A friend, who is not colour-blind, has confirmed that the piping is buff (pale yellow) over dark blue thereby making the helmet to the Buffs. We gently peeled back each fold and all was revealed. Stuart

Looking at the embroidered lettering on the museum's helmet flash I would say that it is a repro. The B has serifs whereas the UFFS is sans serif. This does not mean the helmet is not the BUFFS. Has anyone good enough colour vision to say whether the top colour on each helmet is - white faded buff (yellow) faded light blue ? This would identify the helmet as either RWK or BUFFS. Stuart

Jeff, I saw a similar helmet go for ?1,020 on eBay this week and it was in very poor condition in comparison to yours and did not have the accompanying storage/transit tin. I think that Peter's estimate of US$2,000+ is close to the mark. Stuart

Eric, this has put a spanner in the works. I was quite happy with the Royal West Kent Ron Kidd, in the Formation Sign magazine of the Military Heraldry Society of July-Sept 2001, states that the 2nd Battalion East Kent's had a square scarlet patch with a curved title of either "Buff's" or "The Buff's" which was worn on the LHS. He does not mention piping at all and does cite the Museum in Cantebury as his source. I will try to get an answer from Ron Kidd and another contact. I must say that the embroidered BUFFS does not look to be period, it is far too plain. Stuart

Jeff, this helmet was known as the Colonial pattern Cork Helmet and probably dates from the late 1890s. Shame there is no maker's label to the interior. The Canadian forces adopted the Wolseley helmet in 1910 (thanks Clive) in place of this style. The plate would probably have followed the style of the Royal Engineers ie. the Royal Coat of Arms with the motto 'Quo Fas et Gloria Du######' on the lower scroll and 'Ubique' on the upper. I think I have read that 'Canada' was sometimes used on the upper scroll and 'Royal Canadian Engineers' on the bottom scroll. I am no expert on the Canadian Military Forces but there are plenty of members who are. Stuart Good grief! we have censorship - Du###### was converted from D.u.c.u.n.t

Leigh, can you elaborate on the system of crosses & dots and/or is there a reference book that you can recommend? Can you post an example of a medal card showing the system in operation? Stuart

Leigh, no it is gilding metal, so that dates it to pre-1949. But I do not think that Wolseleys were made after 1942. Stuart