westernhighlander Posted 25 May , 2019 Share Posted 25 May , 2019 Hello, I would welcome any help identifying flash sewn to side of puggaree/pagri on a 1918 dated pith/Wolseley helmet. The device is a diamond. Top is yellow, bottom black. I have some ideas, but would like to hear what the forum members think. Many thanks in advance, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 25 May , 2019 Share Posted 25 May , 2019 Hampshire Regiment colours possibly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westernhighlander Posted 25 May , 2019 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2019 Thanks Steve, colors match Hampshire/Hants, but they had a rectangular flash separated into two rectangular halves, one side black one side yellow as opposed to a diamond separated horizontally into two triangles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 25 May , 2019 Share Posted 25 May , 2019 There were quite a few Hants battalions out East during the GW (about ten in all) so there were almost certainly various styles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 25 May , 2019 Share Posted 25 May , 2019 (edited) Found this, whether it is correct or not I don't know. Chris https://m.bidorbuy.co.za/item/144974124/WW1_PRETORIA_REGIMENT_PITH_HELMET_FLASH.html And again https://warstore.co.za/product/sawwi1248-pretoria-regiment-pith-helmet-flash/ Edited 25 May , 2019 by Dragoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 25 May , 2019 Share Posted 25 May , 2019 Here are a couple of examples I have come across. The 1st Battalion was an image of a yellow tiger silouhette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_H Posted 25 May , 2019 Share Posted 25 May , 2019 Mike A mark the same as the one on your helmet was worn by H/Qs company 2nd Battalion Hampshire Regiment. Worn on the back of the jacket below the collar and painted on steel helmets. You say the the helmet is dated 1918 - the 2nd Hants were serving with the 29th Division on the Western Front then and after the war they were not posted anywhere where tropical helmets would be worn until going to Palestine in 1936. So it is possible that 1918 dated kit was still being issued then but unfortunately I have no reference to confirm that the mark was still in use post WW1. Mike H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 26 May , 2019 Share Posted 26 May , 2019 And this... http://www.nyc-techwriters.com/militaria/south_african_helmets.htm Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westernhighlander Posted 26 May , 2019 Author Share Posted 26 May , 2019 (edited) Thanks for the responses. The links posted by Dragoon do show a similar flash, a diamond bisected horizontally into two triangles, the top being yellow, however the bottom triangle on my helmet is definitely black as opposed to green. The examples of South African helmets all have what appears to be a black triangle on the bottom half of the diamond, but is actually a very dark green triangle on the bottom half of the diamond. Besides the Hants HQ flash, which seems most likely, I did come across two or three other possibilities of a similar flash used by other units in Africa but I am not sure they even existed in 1918/WWI; in the attachments below are tables which show a yellow over black diamond used by the 28 by KAR, the Southern Rhodesia Transport Coy, and the Nyasaland Defence Force (the latter I am told is not yellow over black, but amber). I've also included a pic of another helmet with same flash dated 1942. I think Mike H may have the answer, meaning that this is flash of the HQ of one of an Hanfs brigades. My follow up question is, did Every brigade HQ have the same flash? It seems many of the 2nd brigade and TF served in India,Mespot, Persia, etc during WW1 through the end of the war (i.e. 1918) while the 1st brigade was only in Mesopotamia/Gallipoli through Gallipoli up until 1916 or so, so this helmet being dated 1918 is unlikely to be from any unit from the 1st brigade, but could be one of the units of th 2nd. If ss, which brigade's HQ used this flash? Edited 26 May , 2019 by westernhighlander Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 26 May , 2019 Share Posted 26 May , 2019 As I said earlier, no fewer than eight TF Battalions of the Hampshire Regiment served in India at some point in the Great War (1/4, 2/4, 1/5, 2/5, 1/6, 1/7, 2/7 and 1/9), while the 1/8th also served in Gallipoli nd then Palestine. I'd be looking at one of those personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_H Posted 27 May , 2019 Share Posted 27 May , 2019 Just picked up on this again - WH it is a Battalion H/Q's company not a Brigade. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westernhighlander Posted 27 May , 2019 Author Share Posted 27 May , 2019 Thanks for pointing that out MH and thanks SB. So, battalion HQ. Did all of the Battalions HQs share the same flash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_H Posted 28 May , 2019 Share Posted 28 May , 2019 WH 18 hours ago, westernhighlander said: Thanks for pointing that out MH and thanks SB. So, battalion HQ. Did all of the Battalions HQs share the same flash? In a word - no. I would have to wade through a lot of notes to tell you how many I have found but there was a vast amount of variation regarding these battalion marks - some did not use any identification for each company, some didn't use a mark at all as a battalion i/d. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 28 May , 2019 Share Posted 28 May , 2019 There is no photographic evidence of the 1/8th Hants wearing flashes at all whilst in Gallipoli, that I have come across. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wainfleet Posted 1 June , 2019 Share Posted 1 June , 2019 2/4 and 2/5 Hants in 75 Division went on to serve in Palestine, taking part in 3rd Gaza, Nebi Samwil and other battles. As was pointed out by Mike_H, there is a vast amount of variation in these signs. Yellow and black are Hants colours (as we have seen) and my money would be on a TF Hants unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westernhighlander Posted 13 June , 2019 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2019 Thanks to everyone for their input, much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B Posted 18 September , 2020 Share Posted 18 September , 2020 whilst doing some research on wolseley helmets, I found this thread and wonder if it possible for you to show the complete underside of the helmet, in particular showing the liner/sweat band attachments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 18 September , 2020 Share Posted 18 September , 2020 An off-white top and blue bottom might also be Signals related. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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