An early picture which may be dated 1800 shows an officer of the "Leicestershire Light Horse" wearing a hat instead of a helmet.

Sketch, by Harry Payne, of the adorned hat.

This practice was common among volunteer infantry and to a certain degree among cavalrymen. The civilian type round hat with a wide brim was ornamented in a military fashion. This particular hat has a large fur crest over the to a bushy feather plume - white over red - a large black rosette on the left side on which is placed a metal badge. This was a crowned garter with what may be the "GR" cypher in the centre.

The raised Yeomanry wore the fur-crested Light Dragoon helmet (the Tarleton Helmet) as may been seen from a print of 1813 and an actual helmet. The Helmet has silver white metal fixings with the regimental title on the label above the peak. No badge was worn on the side. The presence of chin-scales indicates a later version of the helmet. The turban was of red silk.

An LYC early Tarleton Helmet c1800 seen and sketched by Harry Payne (the artist) at a Military Exhibition in Chelsea, London in 1890. The Turban is not pink but scarlet.... when Harry Payne sketched the Helmet it was already 90 years old and the silk would have faded considerably.

Manufacturer's mark.

LYC Tarleton helmet c1820.

Taken from a painting (c1841) of J Kirk, QM of the LYC, here you can see the colour of the turban and the silver fittings of the helmet. 

 In  a portrait of Lt. Col G A Legh-Keck, an engraving of 1851, shows a broad topped Shako. It is possible that the original may have been painted many years before . This shako had a large drooping plume of white feathers, Silver lace around the top and a front plate of gilt and silver. An existing shako has large rings on the chin chain and lion head ear bosses. The front plate had "LYC" on a plate with sharply cut ends and a triple scroll with "Prince Albert's Own".

The picture (above) is taken from a portrait of Lt. Col G A Legh-Keck from 1856, you can clearly see the added scroll.

An example of the Shako(O/R) worn 1837-50; note the black horse hair stand plume for the other ranks. The Shako plate is pre 1844 with a separated crown above, and the scroll work "Prince Albert's Own" added post 1844. The Shako would have been the headdress worn on the escort duty from Leicester, provided to  Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, to Belvoir Castle c1844.

LYC Officers forage cap c1861

A black leather helmet introduced about the time of the Crimean war had the same plate in front as well as the same ear bosses. The leather helmet had been tried experimentally by two regular regiments c 1853 but was not taken into general use. One existing example has a black hair plume issuing from a top ball and holder similar to that on an Albert helmet all fittings in white metal.

P.A.O Leicestershire Yeomanry Cavalry Helmet c.1860's; Black for O/R's and White for the Officers.

 By 1873 the Busby was introduced, with a red bag, somewhat in RHA style, but with a white over red plume.

LY Busby introduced c. 1873 O/R example  (left) and Officers (Right)

LY Busby cords, Other Ranks (White Cord) and Officers (Silver Cord).

The busby was worn at certain times, but generally the Hussar forage cap was worn. The forage cap was worn with a tilt to the right side and was decorated with varying amounts of silver lace according to rank. A trooper would have a plain blue cap with a scarlet band, a corporal two thin bands of lace slightly separated, a sergeant one thick band with a sliver top knot and an Officer with a thick band and decorated lace top .... the level of detail in the lace would determine the seniority. Generally the ranks had buttons at the top of the cap silver net covered or blue according to rank, the officers tended not to have one but there are examples where they do.

LYC Officers Pillbox Forage Cap, the lace detail is the same as the 11th Hussars.

The Leicestershire Yeomanry Officers Pillbox forage cap was blue in the style of the 11th Hussars, with Silver Oak leaf lace, with no edged seam and no top button.

LYC in 1899 with Hussar forage caps, the OC with a Subaltern to his left.

The "Pill Box" hat according to NCO Rank. Rank insignia is taken from a photo of C Squadron 1899.

 The walking out dress uniform c.1901 does show a trooper with a blue peaked cap with scarlet piping and scarlet head band. In No.1 Dress the Leicestershire Yeomanry, post WWII, had an all scarlet cap with silver wire; The combined Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry also used the same scarlet cap.

PAOLYC "Bonnet de Police"

(the example above is a representation)

For fatigue and stables men were issued with woollen cloth red hats with a tassel, these were in the style of the French soft woollen cap called the "Bonnet de Police"; popular with cavalry regiments, French and British, in the early 1800's. There appears to have been two versions, one for smart occasions (as seen below) and a later knitted wool version for general stable and fatigue work. The "Bonnet de Police" has been worn, only, by the "other ranks" of the Yeomanry since the 1880s (possibly since 1873) and peculiar to the Prince Albert's Own Yeomanry it seems. The adoption of this hat by the PAOLYC is possibly due to the "vogue" for all things French during this period and also its use is in keeping with Hussar and Light Dragoon Regiments. It could possibly have been in use by the Yeomanry during the early 1800s, but there is no recorded evidence for this.

You can clearly see the "Prince Albert's Own" in their smarter version "Bonnet de Police" worn as an "alternative" to the pillbox, this photo is taken at an inter Yeomanry boxing match c1900. The pictures below show how the original woollen hat has evolved to the present day.

Traditionally the turn up would be the colour of the regiments facing edged in the braid colour and the main body the uniform colour. The colour & braid of the busby bag would also be the same. The plain Scarlet Bonnet de Police, of the PAOLYC, makes sense as the Busby bag for the regiment is simple and uncomplicated. Officers of the Queens Royal Hussars still wear an evolution of the "Bonnet de Police" to this day. In the picture below (right) the QRH Brigadier wears the Green and Gold colours of the 8th (Kings Royal Irish) Hussars.

The "Torin" cap is an evolution of the "Bonnet de Police" and is worn by British officers from c1885 onwards until the further evolution, the "Field service Cap" c1900.

LYC "Torin" (c1890's) or Field Service Cap of the Yeomanry.

A modern copy of the LYC Torin cap.

By the 1890's the "Torin" field cap and the Folding side cap had been introduced, these were worn with the serge patrol jackets and were also used with Mess kit. This replaced the Pillbox for the Officers around this period.

South Africa 1900-02

The slouch hat was worn in the 2nd Boer War by the Imperial Yeomanry and also the Cavalry Pith Helmet, the elongated blunt back shape proved efficient in protecting against being struck on the back of the head. Made from  "Cork Pith", covered in cotton twill and a cotton turban, this hat was often "dunked" in water, before wearing, to create an evaporation effect for cooling the wearer.

Imperial Yeomanry
Lt. The Hon. P C Evans-Freke pictured here in the uniform of the Imperial Yeomanry, his folding Forage cap is the "Imperial Yeomanry" with a small white metal badge of the Imperial Yeomanry (Prince of Wales Feathers) with gilt coronet. It had a purple body and peak with a red crown and gold piping and the buttons were gilt with white metal POW feathers and gilt coronet. According to W Y Carman's book on Yeomanry Headdress, the purple seems to have indicated the "Imperial purple" of Rome and was kept by some new Yeomanry Regiments (Westminster Dragoons and the Rough Rider's for example).

The Slouch hat and Pith helmet worn in the Boer War by the LYC.

Folding Service dress Side hat with the LIY, still in use today with the LDY. Introduced in 1898.

Staff Pattern Peaked Forage Cap, Officers LIY (Field Officer, Left). Introduced in 1902.

Other Ranks LIY plain blue peaked forage cap c1910

In 1911 the other ranks peaked forage cap changes and the badge becomes LY.

The knitted wool version of the PAO "Bonnet de Police" hat is seen here at Diss in October 1914.

(the example above is a modern replica of the early 1900s kitted wool version)

World War 1

A modern copy of the Trench cap.

Post War

LY Other Ranks Dress Side hat 1940 on becoming Field Artillery, RA.

World War 2

 
World War II "Tommy" Helmet

Field service side cap

Post War

LY Other Ranks No1 Dress Cap as Field Artillery, an all scarlet cap was introduced for the other ranks on rejoining the Royal Armoured Corps in 1947.

LY Beret (Royal Blue)

LDY Field Officers Dress Cap c1960's.

LDY Officers Service Dress cap with "Brass" cap badge and plain brass strap buttons c1970's.

LDY Beret (Royal Blue)

"Turtle" Battle Helmet.

LDY O/R Dress Cap

 LDY O/R No2 Mounted Service cap, last used in 1994 for the "Year of the Yeomanry" mounted section on a short course at the Household Cavalry, Windsor. Also used in 1991 for a selection course for the SAMUR Cup held at the RAVC, Melton Mowbray, Leics.  A "brass" LDY cap badge with brass Leicestershire Yeomanry (PAO) strap buttons (a "Leicestershire" Yeoman wearing the cap).

Mk6 Kevlar Helmet