Pith Helmet questions!

[stuart_bates]

Stephen,

I doubt that it is the Suffolk Hussars as their regimental ribbon (http://www.frontiernet.net/~ericbush/MiSh/Regt.html) colours were green, red and green.

The closest I could find was the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire regiment which was a black patch with a narrow yellow central stripe.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Stuart

[Ghost]

I wonder if anyone on the forum knows the science. I will try to gather some information on it.

Stuart

Stuart,

the science is easy, "Latent heat" is the term used when I studied heat. The same principle is used in the use of army waterbottles felt cover. Soak the cover when filling the bottle and you will find the water in the bottle remains cooler then the ambient temperature as the water in the felt evaporates and the excess heat in the water is removed by the steam in the sunshine.

Alan

[badjez]

Stuart,

Thank you. I don't think it is Beds & Herts as their flash was three equally spaced vertical stripes black/ambe/black. This was later used as the basis for the bumble bee flash.

From the design of the helmet & pagri do you agree it is Gt War and do the lettering make sense to anyone?

Thanks, Stephen.

[wainfleet]

Stephen

Are you sure that's not NF instead of NP? In which case, probably 8th or 17th Northumberland Fusiliers.

The J over the arrow could also perhaps be an I, signifying Indian Army, kit that was also issued to British troops serving in hot climates.

Regards,

W.

[stuart_bates]

Stephen,

my information shows a black flash 3" high x 2" wide for the Beds & Herts. The yellow/amber central stripe is much narrower than the resulting black sides. My information comes from a John Mollo article, where did you source yours?

I doubt that it is the Northumberland Fusiliers - they had a red silk/cloth piping or piece of cloth inserted at the top of the pagri.

It certainly looks to be of WWI vintage and is at least pre-1925.

W is right in saying that if the "J" is an "I", which is most likely, then it is an Indian issue. The War Department stampings are a bit of a mystery still. In earlier days the year was used rather than the code that we more commonly see.

Stuart

[shippingsteel]

Is it correct that the Beds & Herts were only formed post-war in 1919.? Recently in another thread I was digging for information on them in relation to another item, also of possible Indian origin. Seems that they did have battalions based in India during the early '20s.

Cheers, S>S

[Ghost]

Well sort off.

The Bedfordshire Regiment and the Hertfordshire Regiment merged in 1919 to form the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment.

Alan

[Chief_Chum]

"...the vendor thought it was all to the Loyal Suffolk Hussars".

I can't tell you what the unit is but I can tell you that it is not a Suffolk Yeomanry/LSH helmet.

On the original of the photo below (Suffolk Yeomanry at ANZAC, Gallipoli) you can see the red and green diamond worn on the officers Wolseley helmet. Patch also attached.

I produced a short history for the Beds and Herts a few years ago and none of the original Bedfords patches I saw had a thin yellow stripe although, from memory, some were equal black-yellow-black and some had a slightly narrower yellow section.

Taff

[badjez]

Thanks Taff, I've never seen this flash before. Where's the 'green with envy' smiley button?

I was unsure if regiments continued to use their regimental colours on the pagri. Certainly not all did. In the Museum of Lincolnshire LIfe is a FS helmet attributed to the Lincolnshire Yeomanry. The patch to the front is a red diamond bisected with white cord in a similar manner to mine. I tried to load .pictures but my IT skills failed me!

My comment relating to the Beds & Herts Regt were with regard to their flash worn between the wars. As to the Bedfordshire Regiment I have no knowledge, but I suspect they would have used their metal cap badge. I do know that during WW2 they adopted a flash, worn on both FS helmet and bush hat, which was a yellow hart upon a black diamond. I doubt this was worn during The Great War as it was too complicated to produce in numbers.

Stephen