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Hello,
I have a Canadian Pith Helmet which has features consistent with a private purchase helmet (i.e. Leather trim around brim, silk liner along sweatband, absence of war department stamp). It was made by Scully in Montreall. It has a buckram spacer between the sweatband and helmet suggesting it was made before WW2 and as it looks similar to a Wolseley helmet with its duck tail.. The pagri has 6 or folds, and along the top of the pagri are two silk bands, red above green, stitched to the helmet. Inside the helmet is penned the name R.F.Burnett, V.R.C. I assume it is the previous owner who was a member of the Victoria Rifles of Canada. I would appreciate it if anyone could help identify the individual and his record to help date and identify the helmet. I did find one Canadian on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He was a Sgt named R.Burnett, buried in France in 1917, but he was a member of the 2nd Canadian, and as far as I know, was not comprised of members of the Victoria Rifles of Canada. I would very much appreciate any feedback on this helmet, especially the era. Given the shape, buckram spacer, etc, I am confident it to be pre WW2, not sure if it's pre WW1 or ....nor do I know what the green and red silk band on the pagri indicate.
Thanks,
Mike
I have a Canadian Pith Helmet which has features consistent with a private purchase helmet (i.e. Leather trim around brim, silk liner along sweatband, absence of war department stamp). It was made by Scully in Montreall. It has a buckram spacer between the sweatband and helmet suggesting it was made before WW2 and as it looks similar to a Wolseley helmet with its duck tail.. The pagri has 6 or folds, and along the top of the pagri are two silk bands, red above green, stitched to the helmet. Inside the helmet is penned the name R.F.Burnett, V.R.C. I assume it is the previous owner who was a member of the Victoria Rifles of Canada. I would appreciate it if anyone could help identify the individual and his record to help date and identify the helmet. I did find one Canadian on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He was a Sgt named R.Burnett, buried in France in 1917, but he was a member of the 2nd Canadian, and as far as I know, was not comprised of members of the Victoria Rifles of Canada. I would very much appreciate any feedback on this helmet, especially the era. Given the shape, buckram spacer, etc, I am confident it to be pre WW2, not sure if it's pre WW1 or ....nor do I know what the green and red silk band on the pagri indicate.
Thanks,
Mike
Last edited by westernhighlander on Mon Sep 09, 2019 2:17 am; edited 1 time in total
