{{Short description|British helmet designed by Prince Albert}} {{distinguish|Albert shako}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2024}} [[File:Soldier of Household Cavalry, London SW1 - geograph.org.uk - 2064239.jpg|thumb|A Blues and Royals trooper wearing an Albert helmet]] The '''Albert helmet''' is a type of dragoon helmet introduced by the British military in the 19th century. The helmet was developed by Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1842, and was first introduced for service with the Household Cavalry in 1843. The helmet was introduced to other heavy cavalry units in the British Empire in 1847.
In the 20th and 21st centuries, the helmet has persisted as a type of full dress headgear used by several British and Canadian cavalry regiments. This includes the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards of the British Household Cavalry, and the Royal Canadian Dragoons, Lord Strathcona’s Horse, and Governor General's Horse Guards of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps.
== History == The Albert helmet was developed by, and named for, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria in 1842.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hoare |first1=Nell |last2=Marsh |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Commission |first3=Great Britain Museums and Galleries |title=Exploring Museums: The Home Counties |date=1990 |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |isbn=978-0-11-290471-7 |page=104 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vmotAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref> It was a metal helmet based on those worn by cavalry in the Prussian Army.<ref name=hobhouse>{{cite book |last1=Hobhouse |first1=Hermione |title=Prince Albert, His Life and Work |date=1983 |publisher=H. Hamilton |isbn=978-0-241-11142-0 |page=46 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hbohAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref> It was adopted by the Household Cavalry, where it replaced the bearskin-crested 1822 pattern helmet, from 1843 and by other heavy cavalry regiments from 1847.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Carman |first1=W. Y. |title=British Military Uniforms from Contemporary Pictures: Henry VII to the Present Day |date=1968 |publisher=Arco |page=132 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q68MAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Rankin |first1=Robert H. |title=Military Headdress: A Pictorial History of Military Headgear from 1660 to 1914 |date=1976 |publisher=Arms & Armour Press |isbn=978-0-85368-310-0 |page=64 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8obfAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref>
The Albert helmet was metal (gilt with silver fittings for officers and brass with white metal fittings for other ranks). It was surmounted with a spike from which a hair plume was attached.<ref name=carman>{{cite book |last1=Carman |first1=W. Y. |last2=Simkin |first2=Richard |title=Richard Simkin's Uniforms of the British Army: The Cavalry Regiments : from the Collection of Captain K.J. Douglas-Morris, RN |date=1982 |publisher=Webb & Bower |isbn=978-0-906671-13-9 |page=69 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_gkhAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref> The plumes varied between the regiments. In the Household Cavalry the Royal Horse Guards wore a red plume and the 1st (Royal) Regiment of Dragoons black.<ref>{{cite book |last1=MacLeod |first1=Olaf |title=Their Glory Shall Not be Blotted Out: The Last Full Dress Uniform of the British Army |date=1986 |publisher=Lutterworth Press |isbn=978-0-7188-2673-4 |page=6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HoTfAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref> The two regiments of Life Guards both wore white plumes, the distinction being in how the plume fell. In the 1st Regiment it fell normally, in the 2nd Regiment it was gathered into a ball-shaped "onion" at the top of the spike, before falling.<ref name=Melegari/> The dragoon guards regiments wore black plumes until 1857 when the 1st King's Dragoon Guards switched to a red plume.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mann |first1=Michael |title=The Regimental History of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards |date=1993 |publisher=Michael Russell [for] 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards |isbn=978-0-85955-189-2 |page=280|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KGLfAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref name=mann>{{cite book |last1=Mann |first1=Michael |title=The Regimental History of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards |date=1993 |publisher=Michael Russell [for] 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards |isbn=978-0-85955-189-2 |page=231 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KGLfAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref> When on active duty overseas the plume was often plaited or not worn at all.<ref name=carman/>
The helmet received generally good reviews in the media. One observer called them "handsome, light and convenient" and the ''United Service Gazette'' described it as "light, fits well to the head, produces an evenness of pressure and undeniably offers the best kind of protection against a bullet or sword cut".<ref name=mann/><ref name=hobhouse/> However the helmet proved unpopular when worn for strenuous activity and for such purposes the Kilmarnock cap was often worn.<ref name=carman/>
The helmet was modified in 1865 as a result of lessons learnt from the Indian Mutiny and Crimean War.<ref name=mann261>{{cite book |last1=Mann |first1=Michael |title=The Regimental History of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards |date=1993 |publisher=Michael Russell [for] 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards |isbn=978-0-85955-189-2 |page=261 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KGLfAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref> The resulting helmet, less ornamental than the original, has been retained by the Household Cavalry in full dress ever since.<ref name=mann261/><ref name=mann/><ref name=Melegari>{{cite book |last1=Melegari |first1=Vezio |title=Grandi Reggimenti |date=1969 |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson |isbn=978-0-297-17646-6 |page=66 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c2wMAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref>
The Albert helmet was also worn historically by a number of cavalry regiments in the Canadian Militia.
== Current wear == {{Multiple image | direction = horizontal | image1 = Life Guard - geograph.org.uk - 2380602.jpg | alt1 = | caption1 = Trooper of the Life Guards | width1 = 150 | footer = The Albert helmet remains in use with some British and Canadian units as a part of their full dress uniforms | image2 = GGHG lincoln alexander.jpg | width2 = 133 | alt2 = | caption2 = Trooper of the Governor General's Horse Guards }} The helmet remains in use with the two current Household Cavalry regiments, the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards. These regiments are amalgamations of the four earlier regiments. The Life Guards retain the white plume and the onion from the 2nd Regiment, the Blues and Royals retain the red plume of the Royal Horse Guards.<ref name=foi25>{{cite web |title=Household Cavalry Drill and Uniform – a Freedom of Information request to Ministry of Defence |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/667210/response/1588954/attach/3/20200619%20FOI2020%2006076%20Response.pdf |website=WhatDoTheyKnow |access-date=12 July 2021 |language=en |date=26 May 2020|page=25}}</ref> The plume is {{convert|20|inch|cm}} long and made from horsehair or nylon for other ranks in both regiments.<ref name=foi65>{{cite web |title=Household Cavalry Drill and Uniform – a Freedom of Information request to Ministry of Defence |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/667210/response/1588954/attach/3/20200619%20FOI2020%2006076%20Response.pdf |website=WhatDoTheyKnow |access-date=12 July 2021 |language=en |date=26 May 2020|page=65}}</ref> For Life Guards officers the plume is of horsehair and measures {{convert|18|inch|cm}}, Blues and Royals officers wear a yak hair plume {{convert|17|inch|cm}} long.<ref name=foi25/> Farriers in both regiments wear different plumes, the Life Guards wear black and Blues and Royals red.<ref name=foi65/>
The regiments also differ in how they wear the helmet's chin strap. The Blues and Royals wear it under the chin while the Life Guards wear it under the lower lip.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Household |first1=Joanna |title=Debrett's Guide to Britain: Where to Go and what to See |date=1983 |publisher=Putnam |isbn=978-0-399-12855-4 |page=88 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bkITAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref> The helmet is now in white metal for all ranks and the same helmet plate is worn by both regiments (they were different historically).<ref name=foi25/>
The Albert helmet is only worn in full dress review order, guard order and front yard order by other ranks and in full dress, levee dress and ceremonial rehearsal dress by officers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Household Cavalry Drill and Uniform – a Freedom of Information request to Ministry of Defence |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/667210/response/1588954/attach/3/20200619%20FOI2020%2006076%20Response.pdf |website=WhatDoTheyKnow |access-date=12 July 2021 |language=en |date=26 May 2020|pages=21–23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Household Cavalry Drill and Uniform – a Freedom of Information request to Ministry of Defence |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/667210/response/1588954/attach/3/20200619%20FOI2020%2006076%20Response.pdf |website=WhatDoTheyKnow |access-date=12 July 2021 |language=en |date=26 May 2020|page=62}}</ref> Medical and veterinary officers do not wear the helmet, instead wearing a cocked hat.<ref>{{cite web |title=Household Cavalry Drill and Uniform – a Freedom of Information request to Ministry of Defence |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/667210/response/1588954/attach/3/20200619%20FOI2020%2006076%20Response.pdf |website=WhatDoTheyKnow |access-date=12 July 2021 |language=en |date=26 May 2020|page=34}}</ref> The other ranks of the Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry wear the helmet in full dress (with the plumes of their parent regiments), except when parading in the presence of the royal family, when they wear state dress with jockey caps. Band officers wear Albert helmets on both occasions.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ryder |first1=Thomas |title=The Carriage Journal: Vol 18 No 1 Summer 1980 |date=1 June 1980 |publisher=Carriage Assoc. of America |page=2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=85E9DwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>
In the Canadian Army, the Albert helmet is currently worn with full dress by The Royal Canadian Dragoons, Lord Strathcona’s Horse and The Governor General's Horse Guards.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://milart.blog/2016/04/26/the-albert-pattern-helmet-and-the-1st-hussars/ |title=The Albert Pattern Helmet and the 1st Hussars |last=McNorgan |first=M. R. (Major) |date=26 April 2016 |website=milart.blog |publisher=Richard Law |access-date=13 July 2021}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Combat helmets of the United Kingdom Category:British Army equipment Category:Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha