British & Commonwealth sun helmets

[Jerry B]

A few of mine, perhaps other members can add their examples to make a reference thread on these.

[CampX]

Clive Law from Service Publications put out a Book last year called FUSS & FASHION, he show Canadian Head Dress for the 1800s to modern, including a large selection of "Sun Helmets" with insignia, he couple few of them from me. A great colourful book

Dean O
Canada

[SatansCabanaBoy]

I posted this on another thread I believe. Sun helmet for the 2/10 Dragoons

[MAP]

1942 dated Woolsey. A bit dirty but otherwise minty.

Helmet. Size 6 7/8ths.
Maker: H.S. Edwards & Co. Ltd

Michael

[Mark K]

Here is my one and only Wolseley it is nicely dated 1942 /l\ marked and was manufactured by Sutton and is in a size 6 3/4

Regards Mark

[canti44]

Hello gents,

just acquired this rather grubby Wolseley which I think has bags of character, particularly the writing inside. It's a shame something has been allowed to rust next to it but it is what it is. The chinstrap appears original though has snapped at the buckle and is fastened by copper hooks.



It does have '2 R.I.F' and the serial number '9982' stamped 3 times in red ink, as well as 'India' and another serial number '10258'. There appears to be names too. A.B Roth or Roach perhaps, Rice and a lot of other stuff sadly too faded to read, but no army stamp or date that I can find.



If it's army at all I wonder whether it's possibly 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling or Irish Fusiliers as it has come from Ireland. If so, would it have sported a badge? Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Ian.

Thought I would add an update to this helmet out of interest. After I'd recieved it I asked the seller if he had any history at all to it. He said it was found in his great-uncle's house who had passed away in 1963. He knew that his great uncle had fought in Gallipoli with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers but that is all he knew, and wasn't even sure if it had been worn by his uncle or he'd just aquired it. He did give me his great-uncles name to look up.

I'm still following this name up, it's quite a common one and he shares it with a VC holder of the same regiment! Surely he would have known if his great-uncle had won the VC? Anyway I looked up one of the service numbers I found inside - '10258' and came across a Patrick Healy of the Connaught Rangers enlisted 1914, and lo and behold inside the helmet is what looks like 'Healy'. Now, if all this is correct how did it end up in the hands of 2 R.I.F?

I'll keep you posted!

[MAP]

I like grubby! This one has a nice story to tell. Anything under the sweatband?

[canti44]

Hi Map,

nothing at all except dust! Shame that. There seems to have been an attempt to cross out the shorter serial numbers at some point and one of the inner panels is completely filled with words written in pencil which have faded. So frustrating. No makers mark either.

[Jerry B]

Hi Map,

nothing at all except dust! Shame that. There seems to have been an attempt to cross out the shorter serial numbers at some point and one of the inner panels is completely filled with words written in pencil which have faded. So frustrating. No makers mark either.

Looks great to me and is probably circa WWI in date, very nice. My officers example I showed is early interwars. I have a few others that I will add, two FS helmets of uncertain originality.

[Jerry B]

The first of the two enigmatic Foreign Service helmets I own. It was a gift and is a real beauty, but I suspect it is either a high quality movie prop or a later example made for the discerning gentleman who wanted a classic FS pith helmet for his travels on safari.