MikeS0000 Posted 7 September , 2012 Share Posted 7 September , 2012 Looks to be a red dragon or possibly devil holding a sword or something similar. Both helmets have the early split pin swivels. Thanks for any help! - Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeS0000 Posted 7 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 7 September , 2012 and one more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 7 September , 2012 Share Posted 7 September , 2012 The motif above the shield look a little like the Honourable Artillery Company's badge to me. If the other thing is an Imp of some form, that might be Inns of Court, - but I'm guessing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 8 September , 2012 Share Posted 8 September , 2012 The only two units I could find that had a 'devil' image were the 8th Winnipeg rifles and a US machine gun regiment. I discounted the US regt as it was a running image and your helmet also has a surmounted crooked arm which gives it a British look. Also taking into account the fact that your helmet has been painted in a freehand style and may only approximate the intended image. Sorry, best I could do. regards khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeS0000 Posted 8 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 September , 2012 Thanks Gentlemen - Much more info than I had to start with. The helmet I picked up is the 'worst' of the two, but the price was right and it was just an interesting insignia. Not one of the usual ones. Best regards! - Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottmarchand Posted 8 September , 2012 Share Posted 8 September , 2012 Well, certainly not Canadian helmet. It is possible it was a RGA helmet, many of the batteries and individual guns had their own discrete insignia that did not get formally documented anywhere - many quite elaborate. I wouldn't rule out an American unit though as many smaller and rear area groups had insignia not well documented either. I am having trouble working out what exactly the inignia actually is though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tipperary Posted 8 September , 2012 Share Posted 8 September , 2012 Is it a red devil holding a trident fork me wonders.john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeS0000 Posted 8 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 September , 2012 Is it a red devil holding a trident fork me wonders.john Hi John - Yes, I believe it is. The shield and surrounding rectangle seem to be common to the insignia also. Best regards! - Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tn.drummond Posted 8 September , 2012 Share Posted 8 September , 2012 Hi Mike, Been through everything I've got on British Divisional and Corps Insignia and can find find nothing similar let alone a match. The relatively poor quality of the 'artwork' (sorry, can't think of a more WW1 contemporaneous expression ) and the fact that is so obviously not stenciled suggests it's either a very local insignia or maybe even a non-military addition. Obvious age of the paint condition does offer a little contradiction against what I've said. Regards Tim P.S Is the dog in your avatar a lurcher ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 8 September , 2012 Share Posted 8 September , 2012 Although the colours would be different, it looks like a crudely executed version of the central device of the Massachusetts State Seal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tn.drummond Posted 8 September , 2012 Share Posted 8 September , 2012 Although the colours would be different, it looks like a crudely executed version of the central device of the Massachusetts State Seal. Crude's a good word. It's the crudity that makes me question it all a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeS0000 Posted 8 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 September , 2012 Hi Mike, Been through everything I've got on British Divisional and Corps Insignia and can find find nothing similar let alone a match. The relatively poor quality of the 'artwork' (sorry, can't think of a more WW1 contemporaneous expression ) and the fact that is so obviously not stenciled suggests it's either a very local insignia or maybe even a non-military addition. Obvious age of the paint condition does offer a little contradiction against what I've said. Regards Tim P.S Is the dog in your avatar a lurcher ? Hi Tim - You had me with the 'lurcher.' Had to look it up. But after reading about them, I suppose she is, though probably not by design. She is a rescue pup of ~6 months. Not sure of the combination, but part is definitely terrier, from experience with them and the rest is tall and slim and heading for 35 lbs. at that age. Thank you for the lead, most interesting..., and she is a sweetie and a terror! I should add on the helmets, the two are not connected. I have the cruder one and found the other when searching for "red dragon - devil" insignia. It too is listed as unidentified. Best regards! - Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in minnesota Posted 9 September , 2012 Share Posted 9 September , 2012 That would be the insignia of the 101st Infantry Regt, 26th Division, US Army. Yup Massechussetts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 9 September , 2012 Share Posted 9 September , 2012 Crude's a good word. It's the crudity that makes me question it all a little. Well, it's what soldiers do. I've still got my old KD hat somehere -"Hat, Ridiculous" sa the QM called them - and quite unofficially I stitched a brigade shoulder patch on one side, and painted a small unit Tac Sign on the other (in fact, I only had red and white paint, so used a biro for the blue bits.) When I'm pushing up daisies somebody will rescue it from a rubbish tip, and start a forum topic. Interesting someone has shared the view that there might be a Mass. connection - the central figure wouldn't be a dragon, but an Indian (Algonquin I think) holding bow and arrows. The crudeness obscures this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 9 September , 2012 Share Posted 9 September , 2012 Out of interest, then, what's the thing on top that I suggested HAC insignia for? (Not that I'm doubting the identification - I'm just interested). Also, can anyone post a pic of what a professional job looks like? And Lurchers - read this: http://www.lurchers.org.uk/ Sort of intelligent greyhouds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 9 September , 2012 Share Posted 9 September , 2012 A disembodied arm wielding a sword. A not unusual heraldic symbol, though I'm boggered if I know the significance, but it definitely appears in all versions of the Massachusetts Coat of Arms and State Seal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in minnesota Posted 9 September , 2012 Share Posted 9 September , 2012 Here's an excellent reference for the 26th Division: http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1T4GGLJ_enUS324US324&biw=1680&bih=834&tbm=isch&tbnid=nBRaPCJl3LQ5-M:&imgrefurl=http://worldwar1letters.wordpress.com/the-adventure-unfolds/watchful-waiting-1917/26th-yankee-division/the-yankee-division-patch/&docid=YB-reoZ5V68bsM&imgurl=http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m178/richlanders/Great%252520War/101infhelmet.jpg&w=640&h=480&ei=ZcxMUIP2Os-B0AGXz4GQCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=559&vpy=114&dur=1947&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=159&ty=137&sig=108998741057452859629&page=2&tbnh=140&tbnw=200&start=29&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:29,i:197 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 9 September , 2012 Share Posted 9 September , 2012 John, Great web site. Thanks for posting. No doubt it is the 101st Infantry Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tn.drummond Posted 9 September , 2012 Share Posted 9 September , 2012 Hi Tim - You had me with the 'lurcher.' Had to look it up. But after reading about them, I suppose she is, though probably not by design. She is a rescue pup of ~6 months. Not sure of the combination, but part is definitely terrier, from experience with them and the rest is tall and slim and heading for 35 lbs. at that age. Thank you for the lead, most interesting..., and she is a sweetie and a terror! I should add on the helmets, the two are not connected. I have the cruder one and found the other when searching for "red dragon - devil" insignia. It too is listed as unidentified. Best regards! - Mike Out of interest, then, what's the thing on top that I suggested HAC insignia for? (Not that I'm doubting the identification - I'm just interested). Also, can anyone post a pic of what a professional job looks like? And Lurchers - read this: http://www.lurchers.org.uk/ Sort of intelligent greyhouds. Mike 35 lbs is a mighty dog. My Lurcher's crossed with a Deerhound and I think Americans call this paticular combo a Staghound. Splendid beast and it's all in the nose (why I asked) weighing in at a mere 30 lbs. Steven 'Intelligent' - nearly gave me a seizure. Spends his life being drilled by the cat and hiding from spiders. Food, walkies (runnies really) sleep. Oh, and wind. Mods Off topic, will stop here. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 9 September , 2012 Share Posted 9 September , 2012 Tim = when I describe lurchers as "intelligent greyhounds" it was a relative comparison. John - thanks for the web link. Answered all my questions and immensely interesting. Great site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeS0000 Posted 9 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 September , 2012 Mike 35 lbs is a mighty dog. My Lurcher's crossed with a Deerhound and I think Americans call this paticular combo a Staghound. Splendid beast and it's all in the nose (why I asked) weighing in at a mere 30 lbs. Steven 'Intelligent' - nearly gave me a seizure. Spends his life being drilled by the cat and hiding from spiders. Food, walkies (runnies really) sleep. Oh, and wind. Mods Off topic, will stop here. Tim Thanks Guys - John - Thank you for solving the helmet insignia and Tim for helping find what our pup is. Your 'cat' comparison is pretty close. The 10# cat terrorizes her and when she meets up with the deer out back they both run in different directions. She does however make a tear after all the rabbits! I think there is some lab mixed in, thus the heavier weight. Best regards! - Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee Snaffles Posted 13 October , 2012 Share Posted 13 October , 2012 Not sure if I am repeating what folks have already noted about this badge of the 26th US Division, but these guys were old National Guard units that had their origins in the Massachusetts militia. The badge is a rough sketch of the Massachusetts state seal. Just in case anyone was wondering . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee Snaffles Posted 13 October , 2012 Share Posted 13 October , 2012 And the conventional wisdom is that AEF units did not have any kind of insignia on uniforms or helmets until after November 11th. I tend to think that samples like this, however, show that while not widespread, guys in the AEF from National Guard Divisions such as the 26th had historical insignia from their previous service could have very well put those onto helmets as soon as they arrived in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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