A studio photograph of an officer of the Force Publique – wearing a French Model 1886 pattern helmet
Belgian Congo was an interesting state, as it was originally the “Congo Free State” and was the private property of King Leopold II of Belgium. As such it was administrated through a quasi-private military force, the Force Publique (Public Force). Continue reading
Sun helmets can be found on many contemporary adverts of military outfitters or civilian hatters that manufactured such helmets for military personal. This article shows some different adverts. They do not present the sun helmet itself as a ware, but uses its significance as an icon for an exotic surrounding or to create an image of bygone circumstances. A small study in helmets and marketing methods. Continue reading
Fig.1: A group of Portuguese officers, c. 1912, wearing the 1911 helmets (Jaime Regalado).
The fall of the Portuguese Monarchy, on October the 5th 1910, brought about deep changes in Portuguese military uniforms. The very first measure, taken as early as October the 8th, was the abolishment of the use of royal crowns on the uniforms. In most uniform items, the royal crowns could simply be disassembled, but that was not always so. In buttons, the crowns had to be filed and in helmet front plates, they had to be cut. Most of the surviving helmets keep their front plates complete, so it is likely that this type of headdress was scarcely worn in the early days of the Republic. 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
The “Classic” American Sun Helmet of the late 19th Century. This Model 1887 helmet features four panel construction and is constructed of cork covered with bleached cotton drill.
While the various European powers sought a “place in the sun” and established colonies around the world, the United States in the latter half of the 19th century expanded westward and tamed the interior of the North American continent. 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