TOPIC:

Firstly, let me apologise if I've posted this in the wrong place. I have an interest in the Victorian South African wars - probably not as detailed as most of you - but I've read many books on the subject and watched numerous documentaries. I've come here though hoping that I may be able to get some help in identifying/dating a battered old Foreign Service Helmet that I have. It's probably not from the Anglo Boer War, it may never even have been outside the UK, but I thought there will probably be people on here with the knowledge to at least point me in the right direction. I bought it several years ago but the man selling couldn't tell me its provenance. It's quite fragile and battered and certainly looks old to me. If it was a re-enactors helmet, I'd have expected the interior to be less 'aged'. There is a name inside which looks like 'Oliver Roley' so, if I can narrow down its age, I hope to research the name (knowing that it may have been written in more recently). So, if anyone can tell me ANYTHING from the attached photographs, I'd be extremely grateful. Thanks in advance, Simon

I don't understand - I attached 8 photos, each of them less than 0.4Mb so less than 4Mb in total, but it says the other 7 are each too large 'for the configuration'. They're all the minimum size that I can get them in Photoshop. Any advice?

[Edit - all sorted now, thanks David]

It looks like a conventional 6-panel FS helmet. The liner is correct. I think it probably dates to pre-1900
Rob

Hi Rob,
Thanks for the quick reply. That's gratifying - I was hoping that it might be 'genuine' and it certainly feels and looks old. Are there any 'speacialist' sites that discuss FS helmets where I might learn more about them?

Many thanks,
Simon

You could start by perusing this site, and contact the authors:
www.militarysunhelmets.com/
Rob

Cheers!