The Collector, Madras Presidency, c1905. 1
Henry James Frampton was born in August 1897, at South Stoneham, Hampshire, first son of Henry Manwell Frampton (plasterer) and Mary Frampton. He served with distinction in the First World War and joined the Indian Civil Service (I.C.S.) in 1921. Continue reading
Illustrated London News, July, 1857. (Author’s collection)
The above illustration, from the Illustrated London News, July 1857, piqued my interest because my main area of collecting is British military headdress; however that soon became of lesser importance. The above engraving is captioned “59th Regiment Madras Native Infantry – Sketched at Hong Kong” and its accompanying text states –
Illustrated London News, July, 1857. (Author’s collection)
When officers purchased their helmets, busbies, forage caps etc. they most often also purchased a storage/transit tin to protect their valuable items of headgear.
These came in various shapes and sizes to suit the type of headgear and could be ordered in both single and double configurations. For example, a wealthy officer may have purchased both a white and a khaki helmet and might therefore order a double tin. Continue reading
Although the use of aluminum foil had been experimented with in the late 1800s, in the middle of the 1930s the first sun helmets came into use that featured a layer of aluminum foil inside the dome as a protection against the heat. Continue reading
A Royal Canadian Artillery Universal Pattern Helmet Circa 1905.
Shortly after the adoption of the Home Service Helmet in 1878 by the British War Office, the Canadian Department of Militia and Defence (M&D) followed suit. However, within a few years this pattern, which included blue helmets for Infantry and the various Corps, Green for Light Infantry and a short-lived dark Green for Rifle regiments, M&D did a volte face and ordered the white ‘Foreign Service’ pattern helmet for general use. Continue reading
This article deals with pith helmets which were specially made for female customers. Is this an issue for the Military Sun Helmets website? Yes. However, the subject is not pith helmets as they were issued to female medical or communications/clerical staff in the armies of several countries. Rather, it deals with the often difficult distinction between helmets for men and for women, something that should be useful knowledge for the military collector as well. Continue reading
A 2nd Boer War example of a khaki Colonial helmet with flash to the 4th or Royal Lancaster Regiment. (Author’s collection)
The Colonial Pattern helmet was officially introduced for use by the British Army in 1877 1 although it had been worn in India several years prior to that date. Continue reading