A Lovely Named 1st Dragoon Guards Officers Foreign Service Helmet

Description

This rare early foreign service helmet dates to 1869-1873 and is of a pattern used by the 1st Dragoon Guards.

According to C.P. Mills' history of the pith helmet Jaunty Hat, page 216, the War Office directed regiments to provide cork helmets for foreign service in 1868. This helmet is a private purchase, officer's example, likely made by Hawke or Ellwood. The "REGULATION CORK HELMET" mark to the inside was intended to advertise its conformity to the new requirement.

The helmet tin is named to "C. Smith, Esq. 1st (Royal) Dragoons." The Army Lists show that a Corbet Smith served in the 1st (Royal) Regiment of Dragoons, becoming a Cornet on 18 Dec. 1863, was promoted lieutenant 24 Mar. 1869, and was promoted captain 26 Mar. 1873. He does not appear on Army lists after 1875, but per The London Gazette of March 6, 1883, "Corbet Smith, Esq., late Captain, 1st Dragoons, to be Captain" of the Leicestershire Yeomanry Cavalry. Smith does not appear to have served outside Britain, but still needed this helmet given that the 1868 War Office directive directed all regiments to acquire cork helmets regardless of location.

A simply fantastic, rare early foreign service helmet.

Seller Details