A BRITISH MILITIA HELMET ?

[Stuart Bates]

Hi Kevin,

I always maintained that the strap was off centre, it's obvious from your photos, and I suggest that this is because the hook, not being an integral part of the rear arm, would have made the cross-piece stand well proud of the helmet crown. On a kosher cross-piece the hook is a fixed extension of the rear arm. Still waiting for my camera battery to charge.

Stuart

[peter monahan]

*What might have contributed to this is the distortion of the helmet shape, being somewhat oval in shape due to improper care in storage.

Kevin in Deva

The skulls on this helmets were cork for the most part and got "distressed" very easily. I recall seeing one once beautiful helmet which had become essentially a a cloth bag of cork dust with metal fittings because it had been dried and wet and dried and squashed one to many times. What a shame!

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Peter,

thanks for your post, I decided to crop and high-light the metal rib on the rear of the helmet, I think part of the problem may be that where the "rib" goes under the helmet plate and fastens, maybe its damaged or off-center, as you continue down the line of the rib you will see some damage to a rivet, wether through misuse or mis-care I dont know.

I will have to ask for a closer inspection when I visit Ireland next year

Anybody care to quote an approxamate value, as I dont want my friend to get ripped-off if they decide to sell.

Kevin in Deva.

Edited November 3, 2006 by Kev in Deva

[Stuart Bates]

Kevin,

here is a photo of the rear of the cross-piece and an underneath shot showing the hook. They may be useful when you get your hands on the helmet. I guess the hook was brazed to the cross-piece but I'm no expert on this. The strap should be flattened just as it reaches the hook.

As to a value I couldn't hazard a guess. Your best bet is probably eBay but I would get a valuation on the helmet plate before doing anything else.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

As to the back strap the damage at the lower rivet looks like it was done when the rivet was fixed. The upper rivet is OK and should not have been affected by the lower one. Maybe the strap was just put on very badly.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

Check out this photo of a Life Guard's trumpeter which shows the cavalry version of the Foreign Service Helmet with spike of the pattern I referred to earlier.

The caption says King George V but the cipher is Edward VII.

Stuart

http://www.soldiersofthequeen.com/page5g-L...sTrumpeter.html