CHELTENHAM COLLEGE CADETS

This is a Victorian helmet from the Cheltenham College Cadets. It is named on the inside and on its accompanying tin to E.P. Apperly. Ernest Paice Apperly commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on November 4, 1893. He continued his service during WW1 as part of the Royal Engineers.

Around the outside of the helmet is a black cloth band (not blue). I have only seen this feature on one other helmet that belonged to the commanding officer of the Rossall School Engineer Cadet Corps. I believe that this is unique to cadet corps helmets. 

The helmet itself is covered in a green cloth rather than the blue cloth worn by engineers. I believe that this can be explained by the fact that the Cheltenham College Cadets were originally a rifle volunteer corps and only became an engineer volunteer corps in June 1889. As a former cadet at Cheltenham, Apperly likely recycled the helmet from a friend or family member. The helmet also has a label that reads "New Regulation Cork Helmet". This label could also indicate that it was made prior to his time with the cadets and closer to the initial use of the home service helmet in 1878. The named storage tin, the name also on the inside of the helmet, the plate, and the records of his service dispel any doubt in the originality of the helmet so the green cloth will remain a unique mystery. 

The photograph is from the Cheltenham archives and shows the cadets in 1891. It is impossible to make out any defining features on the Cheltenham Helmets but the grey helmets of the Marlborough Rifle Cadets arrayed next to them can be seen to have black piping along the edges of the bands surrounding their helmets.