Boer War Helmets & Headgear

[LeeG]

Great thread! Here is my contribution: a Boer War era khaki officer's helmet. Still has its form with nice thick pugaree intact. The sweatband is intact but battered and the interior of the cap is missing most of the green lining.

[LeeG]

Another angle.

[LeeG]

front angle

[LeeG]

back

Edited October 2, 2011 by LeeG

[LeeG]

and underside

[Stuart Bates]

Lee,

Just love that puggaree I can't see any evidence of silk to the top of the leather headband so it would be an Other Rank's version.

A lovely addition to your collection and this thread.

Stuart

[LeeG]

Very cool! I prefer it to be an other rank's example (goes more with the other items in my collection). Thanks Stuart!

[Stuart Bates]

Lee,

initially I would have said an officer's version simply because of that puggaree but I have never seen an officer's without at least a few shreds of silk liner.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

Lee,

Wait a minute! Looking at the helmet again I thought "this really looks like an officer quality helmet." Now what is the material attached to the leather headband where the silk would normally go? Whatever, I now think that it is indeed an officer's or possibly a "first quality" example for Sergeants etc. as officers could buy from the Army Clothing Department, Pimlico. Not all officers were wealthy enough to privately purchase from the Savile Row tailors.

Stuart

[LeeG]

Thanks Stuart -- what qualities tip this helmet off as an officer's or private purchase NCO?

Edited October 11, 2011 by LeeG

[Stuart Bates]

Hi Lee,

well that extra bit of material attached to the leather headband is a dead giveaway to a superior quality i.e. not OR's version. Can't believe that I missed it first time around. I have never seen anything but silk on a Colonial pattern before but have examples of cotton mesh on Wolseleys, see attached, so no reason to suspect that such material was not used before the Wolseley.

Stuart

[pittpiper]

Here is a rather nice photo of 3 soldiers of the Gloucestershire Regiment. It clearly shows the neck curtain and the back badge.

What is very interesting here is that the neck curtain seems to be held in place by the puggaree rather than being simply tied on.

Regular battalions wore the brass back badge tucked into the cloth patch.

Photo Courtesy Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum

Stuart,

This is a fantastic picture. When you say the regular battalions wore the brass back badge tucked into the cloth patch, do you mean that they wore the back badge behind the rear helmet flash?

I believe the neck curtains on these helmets are actually built into the helmet cover. In some of these famous stereoviews you can see this style of helmet cover with puggaree tied underneath instead of over. http://angloboerwarm...stereoviews.php

Sam

[Dan137]

Quick question. Does anyone know what helmet flash (if any) the Royal Canadian Regt. wore in the Boer War?

[E Williams]

Similar to the one I have but mine has six panels. Worth anything of importance?

Ed

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/60166-military-of-civilian/

More on the 4 seam debate. I came across this in William Jones & Co's catalogue of 1886. It shows a solid cork "Mufti helmet for private use in hot climates."

Unfortunately prices are not given so I can't say that maybe some officers wore these because they were cheaper.

Stuart

Jones Catologue 4 seams.jpg

[servicepub]

Quick question. Does anyone know what helmet flash (if any) the Royal Canadian Regt. wore in the Boer War?

None. The RCR wore the Canadian Maple Leaf badge, on a khaki cover, on the left side of the helmet.

Clive

[Dan137]

None. The RCR wore the Canadian Maple Leaf badge, on a khaki cover, on the left side of the helmet.

Clive

Thanks!