While the sun/pith helmet originated in India, as we have noted the British were not alone in considering the importance of such headgear in tropical climates. By the end of the 1870s France had adopted its own version and it does seem that these were influenced, and perhaps even copied, from the British pattern. However, as with the helmets made in London, the French Model 1878 pattern was made of cork, likely supplied by Portugal, and produced in Metropolitan France. Throughout its Africa and Southeast Asia colonies the French military used helmets made of cork, and this remained the case until after the Second World War.
Category Archives: French
The Proto-Sun Hats of the Far East
It is a hat or form of headgear known by many names. It is known as a “salakot” in the Philippines, the “salacco” in Southeast Asia, and at times even described as the “Planters Hat” in British India. It is a type of a Asian “conical hat,” which we have written about in detail in the past, but its history in use by the colonial masters of Asia has largely been overshadowed by the sun/pith helmet. Continue reading
Thomas, L, Cpl, DCM, Royal Berkshire Yeomanry
The Wolseley helmet worn by Corporal L. Thomas of the Royal Berkshire Yeomanry
Cpl Thomas was born in the Parish of Thicket, Near the Town of Wantage, County Berkshire in 1895. His occupation was given as “Farmer.”
He joined the Berkshire Yeomanry prior to WWI in 1914 having bought himself out of the Royal Horse Artillery on the 3rd of March 1914. Continue reading
The French-Vietnamese Leaf Hat
As previously noted the conical hat – known as the “nón lá” or leaf hat – was in fact widely used in the Vietnam and neighboring regions throughout the 19th century by farmers and soldiers (including bandits) alike.
What is unique about the Vietnamese nón lá is that it has its own origin, based on a legend to the growing of rice in the region. This tells of a giant woman from the sky who protected humanity from a deluge of rain, and she wore a hat made of four round shaped leaves to protect her from the rain – and that inspired farmers to stitch together their own style of helmet. This has evolved over the centuries and various styles have become common in the different parts of Vietnam. Continue reading
Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince
Few military forces wear the sun helmet as its primary headdress, but one exception is that of the small military power of Monaco. All together only 255 soldiers serve in Monaco’s military (the Force Publique) – making its military the third smallest in the world after Antigua and Barbuda, and Iceland – and of those 119 officers and men make up the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince’s Company of Carabiniers). Many of the NCOs and soldiers are local, but the officers generally served in the French Army or Republican Guard. Today the unit’s primary headdress is a white summer helmet based on the French 1878 pattern.
The Malagasy Pith Helmet of the Merina Kingdom
An Imperial Guard Helmet of the Malagasy Kingdom from the reign of Queen Ranavalona III. This is the only known surviving example and it is in the Musee de l’Armee in Paris
The French invasion of Madagascar in 1897 ended the Malagasy Protectorate, but this brief war could also be the first time that forces on both sides worn sun helmets. It is just one part of a strange and somewhat fascinating story of the fall of the Merina Kingdom, two English adventurers and the annexation of the island nation. Continue reading
The Origin of the French Model 1931
One great irony of the era of imperialism and European colonial empires is that the French reached their colonial zenith as a republic. In fact an overseas empire was seen as a way of restoring the prestige of France following the humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. As we’ve noted in past articles the French utilized their own style of “colonial” pattern helmet. Continue reading