Northumberland Fusilier's Wolseley

[Stuart Bates]

I have just bought a Wolseley helmet to the Northumberland Fusiliers and wondered if anyone (Graham) could identify the battalion. Was the red stripe to the puggaree for regular battalions only or all battalions?

A friend supplied the following information -

The 2nd Battalion was in Alexandria from October 1915 until November 1915 and then went to Salonika until 1918.

2/7th Battalion (Territorial) went to Egypt in 1917 on garrison duty.

1st Garrison Battalion went to Malta (1915?).

2nd Garrison Battalion went to India in 1916.

If the stripe was for regulars only then it is the 2nd, otherwise could be any of the above. There is only the War Department stamp inside with 162 on top and O to the bottom of the stamp.

Thanks,

Stuart

Edited March 30, 2007 by Stuart Bates

[Graham Stewart]

Stuart,

Apart from being green with eny at your latest acquisition, I can inform you sadly, that all NF battalions were entitled to were the 'V' on their foreign service pattern helmets. If it's not marked with owners name and number then you'll be hard pressed to identify it's original owner, but it's still a beautiful example of what they were wearing.

Any chance of some more photo's for my records??

Hopefully a picture of the 2/7th Bn, N.F. in Egypt will be attached.

Graham.

[Graham Stewart]

A closer look at the helmet and 'V'.

Graham.

[Stuart Bates]

Graham,

I was hoping that it would be to the 2nd Battalion, but such is life. Here is a side view of the Northumberland Fusiliers Wolseley. Any chance of getting some group photos that could be used, with suitable attribution, in the upcoming book? If so can you email some lo-res examples for us to choose from.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

Interior shot.

[leigh kitchen]

Nice, I've always wanted one of these

[Stuart Bates]

Yes, I'm beginning to really appreciate the Wolseley style too. I missed out on a 2nd Battalion Manchester one with a yellow stripe to the puggaree in Bosleys last auction. Postal bids are a bugger of a way to do business.

Stuart

[leigh kitchen]

It's specifically a Northumberlands one that I've always fancied - & I avoid auctions, I prefer the here's the money kind of straight forward dealer purchase rather then wait a week or two to find out whether I've bought it or not after I've thrown some money at it.

l

[leigh kitchen]

An Alix Baker card depicting a sergeant of 2 NF, Mohawk Road Barracks, Shanghai, 1931.

[leigh kitchen]

Alix Baker's not a Wolseley, but Major GLS Ray and "Drummer", 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusilers, South Africa 1899:

[Stuart Bates]

Leigh,

superb images! Where do you find them? I have just ordered a little book called "From Scarlet to Khaki..." which deals with uniforms that we see in photographs. It should help me better establish dates of photos that I am acquiring now.

Stuart

Edited June 5, 2009 by Stuart Bates

[leigh kitchen]

I have'nt a copy of the book, but it sounds interesting from the reviews - & it does'nt cost a lot.

The images are from a set of postcards, part of a larger series on British army uniforms published by Alex Baker who's also responsble for the artwork.

11 to a set, the others are posted on this thread on the RNF:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2556...0&start=180

The sets were "limited" to 2000 copies, they turn up at about ?5 - ?10 or so a set with various dealers & e-bayers - the RNF Museum at Alnwick have them at ?3.

Assuming they're still current, I have the address for Alix Baker & the phone number of the printers, Abacus Ltd - they're printed on the reverse of the cards.

As larger prints rather than postcards, they'd make good backdrops or accessories to some of your helmets?

Although the backgrounds are in colour rather than sepia tones, they remind me of the old Players cigarette card sets on Commonwealth & TF unforms & the more recent Geoff White series of postcards - Merv MItton has posted some images here of Players cigarette cards:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=36108&hl=

Edited June 6, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[Stuart Bates]

I found the prints at the RNF museum. I also found sets of postcard prints of many other regiments by Alix Baker. Thanks for the info. Now to decide which ones to get

Stuart