Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, Officer's Home Service Helmet, 1900. Fine Art Print

Victorian Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment Home Service Helmet. Original Victorian officers Home Service Helmet for the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. This example dates from the late 19th century, circa 1880-1902. Complete with all original officer's gilt elements, chinstrap, hangers, spike and base.

The pointed spike was primarily meant for infantry units on foot. When an infantry officer was mounted on a horse, regulations required the pointed spike to be replaced by a rounded ball-in-leaf-cup device. This safety design feature was implemented to prevent serious injury to the horse or the rider if they accidentally leaned forward or bent down to adjust girth straps and equipment.

Spike Top: Worn primarily by the Line Infantry, Engineers, and certain other units.

Ball-in-Leaf-Cup Top: Substituting the sharp spike for a rounded ball nestled in a small ornamental leaf cup was mandatory for the Royal Artillery (including Field and Garrison Artillery), the Army Service Corps, the Royal Army Medical Corps, and the Army Veterinary Department.

The Home Service Helmet was discontinued in the 20th Century as it was deemed too impractical. The white or khaki pith Foreign Service Helmet, the Wolseley Helmet, the "Bombay Bowler" and the current custodial helmets of the British "Bobbies" or Police Constables are all derived from this helmet. The 19th Century American "Brass Spikes and Horsetail Plumes" were also related to this helmet as well as the Prussian Spike Helmet on which the English model was fashioned. Today the helmet is still worn by the British and Canadian Armies on ceremonial occasions (see below)