Home Service Helmet

[Peter_Suciu]

I'm looking for a nice Home Service Helmet. Any good dealers that anyone can recommend? I assume these vary in price on condition, but also unit insignia?

[Ulsterman]

You mean as in civil defense/ARP?

Edited March 24, 2006 by Ulsterman

[Peter_Suciu]

You mean as in civil defense/ARP?

No, I mean the pre-WWI British dress helmets. I guess they could be called spiked helmets.

[Ulsterman]

you mean like this? Lot 672

http://www.wallisandwallis.co.uk?

Edited March 24, 2006 by Ulsterman

[Jim Maclean]

Yes they are going to vary in price mostly on condition. The badge was generally a generic star with a removable Helmet Plate Centre (HPC), you can pick these up on that online auction site but be aware the HPCs and the Helmet Plates are reproduced. The fakers are doing a pretty good job as there doesn't seem to be that many surviving examples of the real thing, and nobody seems to be getting into the identification of these fakes yet.

Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery also wore this helmet but the helmet plate was a variation on the Royal Arms and the helmet had a ball top rather than a spike.

Officers helmets had gilt fittings and a different pattern plate, other ranks were brass. Volunteers, Militia and Territorials had white metal fittings as shown in the scan provided by Ulsterman, a nice officers Home Service Helmet to the 7th Hampshires or their predecessors. Very scarce and would cost an arm and a leg.

As for the helmet itself being faked, I did see a reference on another site and can't remember for the life of me but it concerns the number of segments the helmet is made from. They aren't fakes they're police helmets made to look like HS helmets.

Unless you particularly want an attributed example go for the best condition helmet and add the plate of your choice. Military auctioneers such as Wallis and Wallis, Bosley's etc have got to be the better bet.

Jim

[harribobs]

i have got to agree with the Bosley recomendation

from my collection

[Jim Maclean]

That's a gem Chris.

Why the ball top though? I'd always associated them with Arms and Services rather than infantry. I've a couple of helmet plates but not the helmet. I'm definitely starting to 'feel the need'. There's room in the cabinet or would be if I got one

[harribobs]

That's a gem Chris.

Why the ball top though? I'd always associated them with Arms and Services rather than infantry. I've a couple of helmet plates but not the helmet. I'm definitely starting to 'feel the need'. There's room in the cabinet or would be if I got one

Thanks Jim

it's a surgeons helmet...hence the ball, to be more exact it's Surgeon Major J Deacon's helmet of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion Manchester Regiment (Vol Batt hence the silver rather than gilt)

[Peter_Suciu]

Thank you for all the information. I think these are great helmets. I know I really need to focus more with helmets, but I just love the idea of lots of pieces from different times.

I'll post photos of the one I am purchasing when it arrives.

[harribobs]

Thank you for all the information. I think these are great helmets. I know I really need to focus more with helmets, but I just love the idea of lots of pieces from different times.

I'll post photos of the one I am purchasing when it arrives.

i look forward to seeing it!

[Jim Maclean]

i look forward to seeing it!

Me too Peter, don't forget

Chris, I'm a bit baffled by a Surgeon Major wearing an infantry HP. I believe there was a RAMC volunteers. I'm not doubting, just confused and seeking a bit of clarification.

[harribobs]

Me too Peter, don't forget

Chris, I'm a bit baffled by a Surgeon Major wearing an infantry HP. I believe there was a RAMC volunteers. I'm not doubting, just confused and seeking a bit of clarification.

don't forget this was pre 1908, the 3rd VB had their own medical chap to administer to them, he's on the army list

[harribobs]

don't forget this was pre 1908, the 3rd VB had their own medical chap to administer to them, he's on the army list

[Jim Maclean]

Thanks for that Chris, I'm afraid I'm not that familiar with the organisation of the Volunteers.

[Peter_Suciu]

I was bidding on this book and then forgot about it, and got outbid:

Home Service Helmet 1878-1914, Collectors Series, by Robert & Christopher Wilkinson-Latham. Anyone know where I obtain a copy?

[harribobs]

Can't help with the book Peter, never seen it and can't find it on Abebooks

here's my helmet again with an infantry version (which lives in the manchesters museum)

(From "The Volunteer Infantry of Ashton" Robert Bonner)