Wolseley Helmet of the A.S.C. East Africa Force

…talled at Nairobi. Advanced Mechanical Transport Depots were opened at Mbuyumi Mombo and Handeni during the summer as the advance proceeded. In September the base depot was transferred to Dar-es- Salaam , and from thence onwards various sub-depots were established as the movements of the troops dictated. The helmet itself is pretty unremarkable in that it is a standard British army issue Wolseley Helmet, although in common with a lot of WW1 Wolsel…

The Evolution of the Japanese Imperial Army Sun Helmet (1915-1945)

…anese tropical helmets. This was originally published on the War Relics Forum. Forward In my past research on helmet covers, I came across quite a few documents discussing sun helmets, as they were often tested together in the same tropical test sessions in Taiwan. So when a recent question popped up about an early model sun helmet, I had a chance to review my files and thought I could have the whole picture of sun helmet development with only a l…

Marketing of Sun/Pith Helmets

…at long ago catalogs provided a way for people to browse products from the comfort of their homes. This interwar catalog from Ellwood Hats Ltd. successors to J. Ellwood & Sons of London shows how sun/pith helmets were marketed. What is especially unique about this catalog is that it actually broke out “pith helmets” by a variety of models, but also had different sections for “Helmets on Felt Bodies” as well as “Helmets on Cork and India-Rubber.” T…

The Ugly Duckling Or The Transformation Into a Beautiful Bird – With A Name.

…ithout remains, as did the cream color. During that activity, the service number, until then completely unknown, became clearly legible: E.S. 6141802. More about that later. Then, the inner fabric was fixed again connecting it to the cork shell with some spots of bookbinder´s glue up to the top and around the ventilation. Last details Finally, three details remained. Firstly, the ventilation cap was flattened. Interesting how that could have happe…

A Private Purchase Pith Helmet: A Christys’ & Co Ltd, Colonial Pattern Sun Helmet

…ts. Note that everyone has a hat, the wagon drivers appear to be wearing plumed helmets. Figure 8. The Victoria Hotel, 83-89 King Street. Number 93, is probably seen at extreme right. Figure 9. In the same street, the hat department, at Manchester Robertson Allison Ltd, King Street, 15th April 1910. At the time it was almost obligatory to wear a hat, hence the choice and volume. Although this example is a private purchase item, and probably used b…

The British Colonial Pattern Helmet

…officers. This transition to the Wolseley took many years and was probably complete by about 1910/11 however photographic evidence exist that shows its being still in use as late as 1914. Perhaps for special occasions only, but why? The King’s Bodyguard of 100 picked men of the Royal Marine Artillery on parade in December 1914 from the Navy & Army Illustrated. (Author’s collection) Stuart Bates http://militaryorphanpress.com/Military_Orphan_Press/…

Is the “Pith Helmet” a Sign of Colonialism as the Media Believes it to be?

…y’s overly politically correct culture has decided it to be so. Had Mrs. Trump not worn the helmet few people would have considered it as one. But the American (and European for that matter) media’s hatred of the Trumps simply put the poor helmet in the crosshairs. However, making the sun helmet the symbol of the oppressors is akin to making all eye patches the symbol of pirates – but even in today’s PC culture pirates, buccaneers and other high-s…