My collection of British headgear

[muckaroon1960]

Thought I would share with you my collection of British helmets and hats. Nothing spectacular, most picked up on the boot market, others from shops or shows and a couple from e-bay. I also have a small collection of foreign helmets which I may post later?

I do display these on a shelf at home.

This is dated 1939.

[muckaroon1960]

1950's Royal Artillery Officers Cap.

[muckaroon1960]

Mark 4 I think dated 1952. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong?

[muckaroon1960]

Modern issue GRP.

[muckaroon1960]

WW1 pith helmet. Missing some parts including the liner but this was a gimme so no complaints. Inside there is a name Baker J 58349. Also stamped 162 and WD with ordnance mark.

[muckaroon1960]

Royal Warwickshire Regiment sidecap. Not sure of the date on this one?

[muckaroon1960]

RAF side cap dated 1943.

[muckaroon1960]

And now for some civvy headgear. ARP helmet.

[muckaroon1960]

Zuckerman civilian helmet marked AMC 1941.

[muckaroon1960]

My display area. (Unfortunately now occupied by my eldest Daughter).

[muckaroon1960]

Sorry, I thought I'd added this one earlier?

[leigh kitchen]

Post no. 5 - one for Stuart, an abused Wolesley helmet? - Howard Williamson gives J as a WWI prefix to serial numbers of 38th, 39th, 40th, 41st, 42nd Battalions Royal Fusiliers (Jewish Battalions).

He gives examples of J1004 to The Jewish Legion, J1898 to 38th, 39th, 40th Jewish Bns of The Royal Fusiliers.

I was wondering if the number could be post WWI Royal Navy?

Post No.6 - Royal Warwickshire Regiment officers (it has got bronzed buttons & badge?) circa WWII.

Edited February 17, 2010 by leigh kitchen

[muckaroon1960]

Post no. 5 - one for Stuart, an abused Wolesley helmet? - Howard Williamson gives J as a WWI prefix to serial numbers of 38th, 39th, 40th, 41st, 42nd Battalions Royal Fusiliers (Jewish Battalions).

He gives examples of J1004 to The Jewish Legion, J1898 to 38th, 39th, 40th Jewish Bns of The Royal Fusiliers.

I was wondering if the number could be post WWI Royal Navy?

Post No.6 - Royal Warwickshire Regiment officers (it has got bronzed buttons & badge?) circa WWII.

Leigh, I think post 5 the J may be his initial i.e. J baker? Thanks for post 6, yes bronze buttons and badge.

(With reference to the suffix J, I do however have a WW1 wound badge with J before the number)?

Cheers

Muckaroon.

[leigh kitchen]

Teach me not to read the post carefully enough - did a quick check of "Ancestry" for J Baker 58349, could'nt find him - look at this little red herring though;

Bertram P J Baker Royal Garrison Artillery 58439.

I don't know what the signfcance of the J prefix on a SWB is I'm afraid.

[muckaroon1960]

Teach me not to read the post carefully enough - did a quick check of "Ancestry" for J Baker 58349, could'nt find him - look at this little red herring though;

Bertram P J Baker Royal Garrison Artillery 58439.

I don't know what the signfcance of the J prefix on a SWB is I'm afraid.

Leigh, thanks for info, you have reminded me that a while ago I did a bit of research on this J Baker and found a Baker who served in the RA or may have been RGA?

Could be the same man?

Thanks,

Muckaroon.

[leigh kitchen]

Doubtful, the one on Ancestry has an initial P n front of the J, & two of the digits in his nuber are transposed, just interesting that it's a "close" comparison of name & number.

[Stuart Bates]

I found a Baker, John E R on the National Archives medal cards. He was a gunner in the RFA.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?queryType=1&resultcount=1&Edoc_Id=1252964

I searched for Baker J between 1914 and 1919 and it returned 1647 results. And there were plenty of Baker Js, so I searched for 58349 and got 23 results with medal cards only one of which was Baker J + E.R. as above.

Pity that the Wolseley has been roughly treated although I would still be interested in a look at the interior.

Stuart

[muckaroon1960]

Stuart, 2 photos of the inside of the Wolseley helmet.

[Stuart Bates]

Apparently the letters and numbers associated with the WD stamp indicated the depot which stored the helmets etc. prior to their being sent to the regiments serviced by that depot.

In earlier times the full year of approval of the item by the WD was used but I don't know when this ceased.

Stuart

[Mervyn Mitton]

Just a note on the Police tin hat. All of the different ranks can be found painted on the fronts - also, for the Wardens. So, you've got quite a few to go... Original colour was a deepish blue.