NMP helmets

Subject: NMP helmets Wed Oct 02, 2019 5:47 pm

Hi

I have been looking at some wargames figures of Natal Mounted Police someone has painted - he has painted them very nicely but in black helmets (ala Zulu Dawn) and has put a line saying - he has painted them in the "old style dark helmets".

I know (or at least I hope I know) by the time of the AZW the NMP were in white helmets but did they ever wear dark helmets and if so when did they change them.

I have always believed that the producers of Zulu Dawn had the NMP in dark helmets to distinguish the regiment from British units for the viewer (a bit like in Dark Age TV dramas - the Saxons have oblong shields so the watcher can distinguish them from the Vikings - Round shields vs oblong ones)

Thanks

Simon

Subject: Re: NMP helmets Wed Oct 02, 2019 9:49 pm

Simon,

I quote from Chapter 30 of H. P. Holt’s The Mounted Police of Natal:

Many Uniforms

...In 1879 the regulation helmet was white, rather high, and had a brass spike with a chain and monogram. There was one trooper who firmly believed in wearing out his old uniform before buying new, so he stuck faithfully to a helmet of an earlier period - a bright blue affair with brass mounts - until the sergeant-major had a brief but decisive chat with him on the subject, and the blue helmet was seen no more.

After a considerable time the white helmet was succeeded by a black one, with black mounts - a distinctly funereal affair; but this was changed before long for a white helmet of the old army pattern, without either spike or chain. The authorities remained faithful to this form of headgear, until the khaki polo helmet was introduced in the year 1898...

JY

Subject: Re: NMP helmets Thu Oct 03, 2019 6:03 am

Well, I never......thanks John.

» Badge on 2/60th and 3/60th foreign service helmets