Category Archives: Colonial Empire

British Puggarees 2, 3, 4 and 6 Folds

This Colonial Pattern helmet, of the Canadian Rifles, illustrates the most common form of the puggaree with two folds: front and rear. (Collection of Clive M. Law)

This Colonial Pattern helmet, of the 49th Ottawa-Carleton Rifles, illustrates the most common form of the puggaree with two folds: front and rear. (Collection of Clive M. Law)

The puggaree (or pagri, pugri etc.) was an addition to the headgear of the British soldier primarily being for protection against sword cuts but also protection from the heat of the sun. Just how effective it was in this latter use is debatable. In its many forms it was also a decorative item and was additionally used to distinguish regiments and corps. The cloth wrapped around the crown of the helmet was most commonly folded over in two places: at the front and the rear. However, examples of the puggaree being folded in three, four and six positions are known to have existed. In this article the six seams of the helmet cover are equated to positions on a clock face with 12 o’clock being the rear seam and 6 o’clock being the front seam etc. Continue reading →

Conical Asian Hat of the Hong Kong Police

The Hong Kong Police during inspection

The conical Asian hat, known as a “rice hat,” “paddy hat” or even “coolie hat” originated in East and Southeast Asia, particularly China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. While primarily used by civilians, the hat has been a military head dress and was used by Vietcong forces in the Vietnam War. But the conical hat was also used alongside the military sun helmet by Chinese and other native units. One in particular was the Hong Kong Police, which was established in 1844. Continue reading →

A Study of the British Officer on Active Service in South Africa 1899 – 1902

Mounted officer wearing khaki drill frock, Sam Browne belt rig, foreign service helmet and pantaloons tucked into Stohwasser gaiters. (Photo: James Holt collection)

Throughout the Twentieth Century, the world’s Super Powers have waged war against a sometimes seemingly invisible, highly mobile enemy. An enemy familiar with the lands he defends and what it takes to survive in them. France and later the United States struggled through Viet Nam and the former Soviet Union endured the hardships offered by Afghanistan. At the dawn of the Twentieth Century Britain ventured into South Africa. The campaign that followed was an omen of how war would be waged in the new century. A tree of terms we are all too familiar with now has roots embedded on the Veldt of South Africa… commando, guerilla war, trenches, machine gun, barbed wire, and sadly concentration camps.

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A Berkshire Lad

A Wolseley helmet provenanced to Private Frederick G. Rance of the 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment. This helmet was manufactured by Percy Ayses & Co. (Author’s collection)

This helmet was worn by Private Frederick G. Rance of the 1^st Battalion, The Royal Berkshire Regiment, who saw action in Waziristan on the North West Frontier of India in 1921-23. He was awarded the India General Service medal 1908 with the clasp Waziristan 1921–24. Continue reading →

British Army Spine Pads

A First World War period British Army issue spine pad. The pad was worn to protect the wearer’s spine from intense heat that was thought to cause heatstroke. (Photo Imperial War Museum, author’s collection)

“The spine pad has become a dull museum piece, and it is probable that specimens are nowadays not easy to find. Yet to those living in tropical areas during the early part of the century and to those serving with the British Army in hot climates during the First World War, memories may be evoked of a piece of cloth of cotton, silk or wool, plain or quilted, several inches wide, attachable to the shirt or coat along the spine, and sometimes with a coloured lining. It is now difficult to accept that this mere piece of cloth could in any way protect from the effects of the sun. But the purpose of the spine pad was so closely linked with the development of ideas concerning body heat, fever and sunstroke, that one must be prepared to explore many early lines of thought for an understanding of its origin and its demise.” ¹ So writes E.T. Renbourne , retired Major, Royal Army Medical Corps, in 1956. Continue reading →

British Army Neck Curtains

An interesting and rare example of an officer’s Colonial pattern Foreign Service Helmet showing the neck curtain secured by an elastic strap. (Photo courtesy Benny Bough)

“From the earliest times fear of the sun’s rays must have sometimes urged the soldier or traveler to wear down the back of the neck a white handkerchief or handy piece of cloth. The official introduction of a neck curtain, however, appears due to Sir Henry Hardinge, who, in 1842, prior to leaving for India as Viceroy, ordered white cap covers for tropical use, to which was added some time later a white neck curtain.” ^1,2

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Paget’s Horse in the Boer War

A colonial pattern helmet of Paget’s Horse showing one version of the helmet flash (Author’s collection)

Paget’s Horse was an elite unit whose four companies (51^st, 52^nd, 68^th and 73^rd) ¹ made up the 19^th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. “They were public school-educated men recruited through advertisements in gentlemen’s clubs. Continue reading →

Military Sun Helmets

Military sun helmets of the world.