{"product_id":"original-british-crimean-war-era-1817-pattern-full-dress-helmet-of-the-north-somerset-yeomanry-with-chinscales-plume-excellent","title":"Original British Crimean War Era 1817 Pattern Full Dress Helmet of the North Somerset Yeomanry with Chinscales \u0026 Plume - Excellent","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is an exquisite and high-grade 1817 Pattern Dress helmet worn by a member of the North Somerset Yeomanry around 1837-1845. The North Somerset Yeomanry was a part-time cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1798 to 1967. It maintained order in Somerset in the days before police forces, and supplied volunteers to fight in the Second Boer War. It served on the Western Front in the First World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe helmet has a steel skull with all brass fittings, including the frontal plate of rayed pattern bearing post-1837 Royal Arms, which dates the helmet to the Crimean War period. The regiment adopted this pattern of helmet for use around 1837-1840. The rear of the helmet bears an ovular brass plate embossed ‘\u003cstrong\u003eNSY\u003c\/strong\u003e’ for the \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNorth Somerset Yeomanry\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. Both sides of the helmet have tremendous brass laurel plates. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe high comb is fitted with a brass lion’s head with the mane and front paws, pierced at the top of the bomb with the original black over white horsehair plume with a brass rose finial. The helmet retains both sides of its leather-lined graduated brass chinscales, embossed with laurels though some of the chinscale covering are gone, and the leather endpieces are still fully retained though weak. Both sides are attached by the correct lion’s head supports. We would not recommend buckling the chinscales due to the leather’s fragility. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe interior shows that the thick leather liner is still retained, though it is heavily crazed and weak. The size is roughly 7. The helmet comes with a very nice helmet stand that supports it well. The brass of the helmet is all in good shape with a great overall patina.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an outstanding and quite intimidating helmet, standing at roughly 22” tall when placed on the helmet stand, but it is still roughly 17” tall on its own. It will certainly become the centerpiece of any British collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the Yeomanry generally declined in importance and numbers after the end of the French wars, the North Somerset unit continued at strength, and was regularly called out to suppress riots, in 1810, 1812 and 1817 at Bath, among miners at Radstock in 1813 and 1817, and weavers at Frome in 1816 and 1822. The actions of the Yeomanry in the 'Battle of Frome' in 1816 were discussed in Cobbett's Political Register.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1817 the regiment adopted a squadron organisation, with the Bath and Keynsham Troops forming the Right Squadron, the two Frome Troops the Frome or Right Centre Squadron, Ston Easton and East Harptree the Centre Squadron, the Mells Troops the Mells or Left Centre Squadron, while the Shepton and Batcombe Troops formed the Left Squadron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom 1820 to 1840 the regimental headquarters was at Mells Park, home of Thomas Strangways Horner, commanding officer (CO) from 1804 to 1839, when he was succeeded by his son. Another long-serving CO was Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork and Orrery, Lt-Col Commandant 1867–93, who afterwards became Honorary Colonel, while his son, Viscount Dungarvan, took over as CO.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor some years the Keynsham Troop was without any officers, and although its members were keen and turned out promptly when required, their appearance and discipline had deteriorated to the point where they were known locally as 'The Cossacks'. It was disbanded in May 1842, but many of its members transferred to other troops of the regiment or joined the Gloucestershire Yeomanry Cavalry. \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn 1854 on the outbreak of the Crimean War, 342 out of 398 men in the regiment volunteered to serve in any part of the United Kingdom.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing the Cardwell Reforms a mobilisation scheme began to appear in the Army List from December 1875. This assigned Yeomanry units to places in an order of battle of corps, divisions and brigades for the 'Active Army', even though these formations were entirely theoretical, with no staff or services assigned. The North Somerset Yeomanry was assigned as 'divisional troops' to 2nd Division of V Corps based at Warminster, alongside Regular Army and Militia units of infantry, artillery and engineers. This was never more than a paper organisation, but from April 1893 the Army List showed the Yeomanry regiments grouped into brigades for collective training. They were commanded by the senior regimental commanding officer (CO) but they did have a Regular Army Brigade major. The North Somerset Yeomanry together with the West Somerset Yeomanry formed the 4th Yeomanry Brigade, headquartered at Taunton. The Yeomanry brigades disappeared from the Army List after the Second Boer War.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45401092259909,"sku":"ONAC26BMA20","price":3495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONAC26BMA20.jpg?v=1784934332","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-british-crimean-war-era-1817-pattern-full-dress-helmet-of-the-north-somerset-yeomanry-with-chinscales-plume-excellent","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}