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    Boer War Helmets & Headgear


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    Here is the pride and joy of my sun (pith) helmet collection. It is to Paget's Horse which formed part of the 19th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. The unit was raised by Major George Thomas Cavendish Paget in 1900. He served as second in command.

    PagetsHorse.jpg

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    Here is the reverse side which illustrates the shape known as the "10th Hussars" because of the rather more steep inclination of the peak and nape than that of the regulation pattern. Not quite the "smart" shape as warned of in the 1900 DRs but distinctive nevertheless.

    Stuart

    PagetsHorseRGB.jpg

    Edited by Stuart Bates
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    According to Ray Westlake's book Collecting Metal Shoulder Titles the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) changed their shoulder title in 1899 from R.Lanc.R to Lancaster then to R Lancaster in 1902. So I take it that the flash is 1899 - 1902.

    Ron Kidd, who wrote a series of articles on Boer War flashes, also backs this up and states that there were several different flashes in use at that time of varying sizes and wording. Flashes also varied from battalion to battalion in some regiments.

    Stuart

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    Presumably, though I don't know how quick a unit would be to replace embroidered shoulder straps rather than detachable metal titles.

    I can see why there would be variation, given the use of shoulderstraps for these flashes, I would imagine that obsolete shoulder straps were used as well as those currently in use from worn out & struck off garments?

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    Leigh,

    there is a debate about how much and, indeed, whether shoulder straps were ever used for flashes. Regiments would have had ample supplies of red cloth to make such articles without destroying perfectly good tunics. However, tunics at the end of their life would probably have been used when necessary.

    Stuart

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    • 3 months later...

    Hi Mervyn,

    the swan is painted. Pity as an enamel one would have been so much better.

    I guess the chinchain would have had many extra loops at the end to allow it to be hooked up.

    One of the nicer aspects of this helmet is that it came from a dealer's private collection. That makes two so far, the other being my 1913 Australian Engineers Wolseley from the same dealer.

    Stuart

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    OK! Now we need Clive to post a Canadian helmet. I think he has at least some photos.

    Stuart,

    As you know I am still in Haiti while my helmets are in Ottawa. If you have the photos of my Boer War-era helmet to the 43rd (later Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa) which I sent to Chris please post it on my behalf.

    Clive

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    • 6 months later...

    Here is the pride and joy of my sun (pith) helmet collection. It is to Paget's Horse which formed part of the 19th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. The unit was raised by Major George Thomas Cavendish Paget in 1900. He served as second in command.

    A very nice helmet, Stuart. This was mine about 15 years ago! My Boer War collection's long dispersed but included a Seaforth Hr's helmet to a Magersfontein casualty and an Indian patt. to a Gloster's Rietfontein casualty. These days I just collect WW1 Brit items but maintain an interest in the Boer War and still have a few bits left, no headgear though. Your Lancaster helmet is a beauty.

    Regards,

    W.

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