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
Although not officially established as part of a tropical uniform for officers until 1885, the sun helmet was used unofficially as far back as the Indian Mutiny (1857-1858). It was described as being a “white helmet with blue pagri.” 1 Continue reading
Objects of militaria are often a link back in time. However, all too often we hear, “if only this piece could tell its stories.” This of course will never happen, but occasionally we get lucky and are able to do some historical research and find out a bit more about a particular item. No longer do we think of a vague shadowy figure who may have worn the uniform, but we can find out a bit more about the original owner.
This is the case with a British Foreign Service Helmet, and storage tin that was once owned by Sir Charles Venables-Llewelyn of the Glamorgan Imperial Yeomanry. Inside the helmet are the stamped letters “C. V. L.,” whilst the tin is marked to a “Major C. Venables Llewelyn.” Continue reading
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany was forced into exile at the end of the First World War into the neutral Netherlands. From 1920 until his death in 1941 he lived in the small country estate in Holland known as Huis Doorn, which today is a museum and contains many personal items from the last Kaiser.
Among these items is an interesting helmet – which by all appearances is a British six-panel colonial pattern helmet with typical puggaree cloth wrapping. What makes this helmet particularly unique about this example is that it apparently was “created” by Wilhelm. Continue reading
Thomas Patrick Milne-Home
Born: 1875
Died: 1956
Commissioned: 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry 6 March 1895
Lieutenant: 3 February 1898
Captain: 1 April 1901
Milne-Home saw service in Crete, 1898, and in the Anglo Boer War, 1899-1901, where he was present at the Battle of Magersfontein (11 December 1899), Retief’s Nek (23-24 July 1900), the skirmish at Wittpoort (14 August 1900), was wounded in action at Dewetsdorp (23 November 1900) and Court Martialed 29 January 1901 for “Shamefully delivering up a post.” Exonerated, reinstated, and promoted to Captain April 1901. Battalion strength upon Embarkation October 23 1899 was 1,111 all ranks. Continue reading
Winston Churchill in Bangalore, India in 1898. He is wearing a colonial pattern helmet.
Sir Winston Churchill wore many hats in his life. He was a writer, scholar, soldier, politician, painter and above all English gentleman. Winston as he was often known by friend and foe alike was a Victorian soldier of the Queen, a First World War Lord of the Admiralty and, of course, during the Second World War the Prime Minister.
His most famous hat was his Bowker, but he also sported a Homburg hat as often, and as a soldier wore visor caps and in France in World War I a steel helmet. But of course we remember Mr. Churchill in many a sun helmet! Continue reading
Some of the weird and wonderful shapes of helmet flashes often encountered on Foreign Service Helmets and Slouch Hats.
The British army has long used khaki coloured uniforms for its troops. This goes as far back as the Indian Mutiny and possibly before with some regiments of the East India Company’s army. The introduction and use of khaki into the British army is generally attributed to an army officer named W.S.R. Hodson, who later founded the irregular light cavalry, Hodson’s Horse. Continue reading