My British Headdress Collection **RECOMMENDED**

[pjac]

I'm sure Stuart is right. Apologies to other members for inadvertantly straying away from the purpose of this area .

Patrick

[peter monahan]

Stuart

Thanks, again, for sharing! Now have tio take keyboard in for repairs, as I've drooled on it and shorted it out!

Peter

Edited March 1, 2010 by peter monahan

[Stuart Bates]

Peter,

still drooling after all these years

Stuart

(see post #3)

Edited March 2, 2010 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

Another Wolseley, this one to the Lincolnshire Regiment. This one is interesting because of the red/blue piping to the top of the puggaree and the metal Roman numeral "X" for the 10th Regiment of Foot.

The helmet is dated 1917 but an eye-witness sketch (no I don't have it) drawn in 1919 shows an officer with a khaki flash on which is embroidered in a curve "LINCOLN".

Photographs taken in 1928 in Lucknow show a dark top fold to the puggaree and the "X" to the front. Now the "dark" fold could easily be red/blue.

The 1929 Regulations (I would kill for a copy of them but even my best contacts don't know how to get a copy) give a blue cloth patch 3" x 2" with a red Sphinx embroidered on it and the red/blue piping.

A few variations here once again! Piping was certainly used in the early decades of the 20th century and The Lincolns were obviously one of those regiments who preferred their original numeric designation rather than the territorial designations brought about by the Cardwell Reforms.

The 2nd Battalion were deployed -

1919 Poona

1923 Presidency/Assam

1925 Meerut

1927 Lucknow

1928 Sudan

Stuart

Edited March 13, 2010 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

Time for a change so here is my 9th Queen's Royal Lancer Cap. It is of the 1856 pattern and features the cypher of Queen Adelaide, consort of William IV.

The regiment amalgamated with the 12th Lancers in 1960.

Also notable is the corded chinchain, the four gilt metal ornaments at each corner of the trencher top, the gilt metal strips covering the angles of the top, and the metal band around the waist of the cap.

The top is also unique for Lancer regiments in being of patent leather rather than fabric.

It is not clear from this photo but the plume was of black swan feathers over white.

[nesredep]

Hello!

Amazing Cap. :jumping:

All the best

Nesredep.

[nesredep]

I finally had my collection professionally photographed so here it is.

<img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/stuart_bates/Collection1.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Hello!

Amazing COLLECTION you sharing with us,thanks. :jumping:

All the best

Nesredep.

[Stuart Bates]

Gone back to my roots and just received this rather good Blue Cloth to the Royal Lancaster Regiment. A nice companion to my 2^nd Boer War Khaki Colonial.

Stuart

Edited April 6, 2010 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

As an aside, what is the story about the Queen and swan's feathers?

Now keep it clean!

Stuart

[pjac]

Stuart

The new blue cloth looks to be in cracking condition-superb gilt on the plate. What material is the red ground for the device made from?

Patrick

[Stuart Bates]

Hi Patrick,

the material is scarlet velvet and the helmet is in mint condition.

I have been in contact with J and you were right about the email address. I wonder why the initial one wasn't bounced.

Stuart

[Mervyn Mitton]

Stuart - is your 9th Lancers a new acquisition - certainly a superb piece. I always wonder though, why they had to use that awful patent leather solution ? Even on this outstanding example you can still see a little bubbling on the peak. Is it possible to remove this and repaint with a more modern finish ?

Is there a story with the Queen and swans ? All swans in Britain are in the ownership of the Queen and each year are counted in a ceremony called - ' swan upping '. I would have thought on this helmet they were from Aust. black swans ?

[Stuart Bates]

Mervyn,

this is a very good question. Leather helmets and components of helmets were, as you know, common in armies of the 18th/19th Centuries. I guess that it was cheaper than metal, maybe lighter, and did afford reasonable protection from glancing sword cuts.

The Lancer Caps were an early phase of my collecting - late '90s. I would not consider attempting any restoration myself and certainly not just for a bit of "bubbling" of leather. If I were in England I would certainly send a couple of items to a restorer. For example, a rather nice Wolseley has leather rot to the brim edging and I would have that fixed. But, generally speaking, I try to buy items that don't need it.

The question about the swans' feathers was prompted because I remember that someone wanted to have a plume restored but was refused by the restorer because the Queen owned the swans and their feathers (guts and gizzards too I presume). I am sure that they could have been sourced elsewhere. It comes from times when the swan was a regular on the banquet tables of royalty.

Apparently the Queen owns only the mute swans on the Thames. Mute because they don't say much!

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

This is quite an exciting addition. A Wolseley to the Royal Naval Division and dated 1909. By far the earliest Wolseley that I have seen. Since the RND fought at Gallipoli and then moved to the Western Front I have to say that this one has provenance to the Gallipoli Campaign.

It has handwritten on the front "Drake" and "RND".

Note the variation to the front of the puggaree.

There are some breakages in the cork but that must be expected in such an old cork helmet, but overall it is in good condition.

Stuart

Edited May 3, 2010 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

An interior shot showing the name R. Bell and 1st Drake.

Note also that there is a name erased and overlaid by R. Bell.

[Stuart Bates]

Here is the War Department stamp of 1909.

[Stuart Bates]

Here is the rear of the helmet showing the same variation to the "V" of the puggaree as to the front.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Stuart - an interesting helmet with that clear date. Wasn't DRAKE one of the shore training depots ?

[pjac]

Hi Stuart- a very nice piece indeed. Given that the RND was a war-raised unit where might the helmet have been between 1909 and 1914? Does the date stamp denote the date of receipt into a store, or the date of first issue to an individual? If the latter, that could be consistent with the earlier, erased name. I know nothing at all about these type of helmets, but were they issued to the navy pre-war? If so, could the variation you mention be some naval characteristic? This seems unlikely since the helmet is khaki coloured !

I don't know much about the Drake Battalion, although I have its cap badge which is very elegant and distinctive. I've just read a book about the Hood Battalion by Leonard Sellers, which gives a lot of information about the raising of the RND and includes a number of mentions of Drake at Antwerp, Gallipoli and on the Western Front.

Patrick

[Stuart Bates]

It is my understanding that the War Department stamp was applied when an item was accepted into stores and not when issued out of stores. There may well have been a lapse of time between its being taken into stores and its subsequent issue and re-issue which may have taken place in the field.

The earlier name could have been a member of the RND but it is undecipherable so we shall never know. I did find one R Bell when I did a preliminary search of the archives but he was a high ranking officer and this is an ordinary seaman's version. More research when I get round to it.

The previous owner had the helmet for 35 years and is a personal friend of one of my English contributors to my book so I am convinced that it is genuine, but alas with these unanswered questions.

I think that the "variation" to the front and rear of the puggaree may be for the RND as I found a photo of them charging at the Third Battle of Krithia and, unless my eyes deceive me, one can see the style of puggaree on, at least, two of the helmets shown. As always these photos are never clear enough.

Edited May 3, 2010 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

One of the helmets which shows the variation.

[Stuart Bates]

Mervyn,

in case you did not already know you will have determined from Patrick's reply that the RND was divided into battalions named after famous sailors.

1st Brigade

Benbow

Collingwood

Hawke

Drake

2nd Brigade

Howe

Hood

Anson

Nelson

I have ordered a print of the photo so maybe that will be of a higher resolution.

Stuart

Edited May 4, 2010 by Stuart Bates

[pjac]

Stuart, I've no doubt it's genuine-great photos- but I don't see how the variation can have been expressly designed for the RND, given that it wasn't formed until 5 years later, hence my thought about a pre-war 'naval variation'. There's a photo in the book about the Hood, showing men wearing similar helmets at Gallipoli, but they don't seem to have the variation, and they have flashes on both sides. However, the men seem to be officers, so that may make a difference. Interesting that none of the other ranks in the background is wearing a sun helmet, although in a couple of other photos individuals are wearing them but the detail isn't clear. This has got me really intrigued and I've had no interest in sun helmets at all! I'll keep looking.

Patrick

[Stuart Bates]

Hi Patrick,

well I didn't actually say that the variation was specifically for the RND. I said "I think that the 'variation' to the front and rear of the puggaree may be for the RND."

I have never seen this before and wouldn't be at all surprised if it is found on other units' helmets. But I guess I was indulging in a "leap of faith."

Interesting that the nearest officers in your photo are wearing flashes. I wonder what they consist of. They are not apparent on the other two helmets.

You can clearly see the blue top pleat to the puggaree on the two closest helmets. I didn't know that they adopted this Royal Navy distinction but, then again, I haven't given much thought to the RND until the last few days.

I did read that the RND hated having an Army commander and did not like being referred to as an Army unit. Nor were they much enamoured with being re-designated the 63rd Division. I also read that ranks were filled with army men to make up for the casualties.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

My copy of the RND charge arrived today and under the magnifying light I am sure (well...) that it has what I am looking for to the rear of at least one puggaree.

Here it is.

Stuart

PS. maybe I should investigate an Epson scanner as my Canon multifunction apparatus doesn't do the photo justice.

Edited May 19, 2010 by Stuart Bates