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1917 wolseley sun helmet

Article about: A recent score from ebay, described as WWII which was easily done and is perhaps why I got it for a cheap price as I was not certain of its date until it arrived as in many ways they are ide

  1. #1

    Default 1917 wolseley sun helmet

    A recent score from ebay, described as WWII which was easily done and is perhaps why I got it for a cheap price as I was not certain of its date until it arrived as in many ways they are identical from before WWI through to the mid 1940's.

    Condition is not bad for 103 years old, with some mouse nibbles on the sweat band and a large stain to the rear but otherwise solid imo.


    the most obvious pointer to the dating of wolseley helmets is the method of attachin gthe liner/sweat band to the body of the helmet, early types ie, pre great war and great war use cork buffers to mount this liner to the body they are sewn in place and allow some ventilation between them but are not very sturdy. Occier versions used a variety of different solutions but for or's circa 1922 a new system using folds of leather or other material and metal split pins was introduced which was sturdier and meant the liner could be removed and replaced if it became broken, see comparison pic.

    Other differences are the dome vent on early models unscrews but by WWII it changes to a fixed type and also the fabric lining changes from cotton to either felt or green oilcloth on later examples.

    Most early wolseley helmets have a wide multi fold pug band but this was not always the case and also they are quite fragile and can become detached from the helmet.

    One point that had me scurrying off to research was the format of the WD issue markings, for most of the great war the format was number over W/I\D over letter, the number being the date, the letter being the issuing depot, whilst for WWII (introduced in 1935) it took the form of Letter over W/I\D over number with the letter being a code for the date and the number being the inspector/issuing depot. This code system is quite well known, there is a pinned thread on it in the WWII clothing section.

    However, in 1917 the system was changed to have a Letter over W/I\D over number which showed depot over date and the helmet in question has A over W/I\D over 17 giving an issue/acceptance date of 1917.

    Another early feature is the type of font used to inkstamp the owners name inside the dome, a type more typical of WWI than any later period imo.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture 1917 wolseley sun helmet   1917 wolseley sun helmet  

    1917 wolseley sun helmet   1917 wolseley sun helmet  

    1917 wolseley sun helmet   1917 wolseley sun helmet  

    1917 wolseley sun helmet   1917 wolseley sun helmet  

    Regards,

    Jerry

    Whatever its just an opinion.

  2. #2

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    What a great find.

  3. #3

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    Quote by paul kennedy View Post
    What a great find.
    Thanks Paul, exactly what I thought.
    Regards,

    Jerry

    Whatever its just an opinion.

  4. #4

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    Very nice. 'Seek and ye shall find'... even on eBay.

    Cheers,
    Steve

  5. #5

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    Brilliant find Jerry, a shame about the stain but great for it's age.

  6. #6

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    Nice pickup! Looks quite similar to what was worn by the British and Australian troops at Gallipoli in 1915.

  7. #7

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    Quote by AndyM35 View Post
    Nice pickup! Looks quite similar to what was worn by the British and Australian troops at Gallipoli in 1915.
    it is identical except possibly the dome lining was a tan colour and not green at that date
    Regards,

    Jerry

    Whatever its just an opinion.

  8. #8

    Default

    Yes, I think without a pugaree wrapped around it, it looked a little different to what I picture in my head as being standard at Gallipoli and other tropical theatres of the Great War.

    Andy

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