Life Guards Troopers Helmet

[Robert Shoaf]

If I may, a small diversion into the area of ceremonial full dress, in this case, a helmet for other ranks of the Life Guards, senior regiment of the British Army.
This one has a King's crown, so I assume it was used pre-1953.
Thanks for viewing, and any comments.

Bob Shoaf

[Robert Shoaf]

Close up of helmet plate:

[ROBB]

They make pretty good copies of these surprise surprise ! What does the liner look like ? Rob

[Robert Shoaf]

They make pretty good copies of these surprise surprise ! What does the liner look like ? Rob

Yes, I have seen copies on Ebay. The liner is the typical thickly padded sweatband, with leather straps attached that can be adjusted for size.

Bob Shoaf

[peter monahan]

The copies coming out of India these days are not bad but many have substituted nylon for the horse hair plumes, as its easy to get them cross borders that way. [A friend of mine sells them - marked as repros.] I don't think the liners are as well made as the originals either, but I'd have to re-check. Unfortunately, with some 'tuning' by a talented artist, I'm positive some of these are being re-sold as real to unsuspecting collectors.

Not suggesting for a minute, BTW, that yours is not original, Bob. Looks like a good'un to my untutored eye. Very pretty indeed. I covet!

Peter

[Robert Shoaf]

The copies coming out of India these days are not bad but many have substituted nylon for the horse hair plumes, as its easy to get them cross borders that way. [A friend of mine sells them - marked as repros.] I don't think the liners are as well made as the originals either, but I'd have to re-check. Unfortunately, with some 'tuning' by a talented artist, I'm positive some of these are being re-sold as real to unsuspecting collectors.

Not suggesting for a minute, BTW, that yours is not original, Bob. Looks like a good'un to my untutored eye. Very pretty indeed. I covet!

Peter

Thanks for your comments, Peter. yes, this is an authentic helmet. A sadly departed close friend of mine picked it out for me from a well known UK dealer in the 1980's, and had it shipped here in the colonies.
My friend knew his stuff, and had a wonderful militaria and medals collection; he was quite wealthy ( unlike his friend!).

Bob Shoaf

[MH184]

Very nice indeed, Bob. Thank you for showing this helmet.

Would you mind showing us some more of your collection, be it head-dress, medals or indeed bages, too?


Kind regards,

Marcus

[Robert Shoaf]

Thanks for your kind comments, Marcus.
This is my most recent acquisition, an officer's cap of the old 3rd Carabiniers:

[Robert Shoaf]

I collect officer's peaked caps to primarily British Guards & cavalry regiments, with an occasional foray into other regiments or corps.
Another recent purchase, and one that I had been serching for a long time; a Coldstream Guards officer's dress forage cap. This was the last of the five foot guards regiments that I was missing.

[MH184]

Wonderful, Bob, and thank you. I really do like the 3rd Carabiniers officers peaked cap; very much.

They were engaged in a lot of fighting in Burma, as you will indeed know, of course. And, incidentally, on the subject of Asia, I've been distracted from my main focus of the collection and adding a few of the wartime raised cavalry cap badges - ORs and officers'- to the collection.


Kind regards,

Marcus

[pzrwest]

When my brother got married to his first wife he wore a scarlet tunic and had a similar helmet to this one but had the crest of The Lord Strathcona Horse on the front of it. I'll post a picture of him wearing it if anyone would like to see it

[Robert Shoaf]

Wonderful, Bob, and thank you. I really do like the 3rd Carabiniers officers peaked cap; very much.

They were engaged in a lot of fighting in Burma, as you will indeed know, of course. And, incidentally, on the subject of Asia, I've been distracted from my main focus of the collection and adding a few of the wartime raised cavalry cap badges - ORs and officers'- to the collection.


Kind regards,

Marcus

Thanks again, Marcus. Here is a photo of the sweatband of the 3rd Carbs. cap, with initials of IHM Ley.
From what I can ascertain, that would be Ivan Ley, who served with the regiment from 1956 to 1964, the son of Brig. HMH Ley, CBE, who was in temporary command of the regiment in Burma, 1944.
Ivan Ley died in 2007, and Brig. Ley died, age 92, in 2004.

Bob Shoaf

[Robert Shoaf]

When my brother got married to his first wife he wore a scarlet tunic and had a similar helmet to this one but had the crest of The Lord Strathcona Horse on the front of it. I'll post a picture of him wearing it if anyone would like to see it

Yes, I'd like to see it.

Bob Shoaf

[Robert Shoaf]

I posted photos of this previously, but, hopefully, these are a bit better. It's my collection of medals to the Grenadier Guards, that I am slowly attempting to rebuild.
I wish the dollar wasn't so weak; it doesn't make expensive medals any cheaper!

Bob Shoaf

[Robert Shoaf]

More detail: