page_title: Pith helmet
section_title: Commonwealth
hierarchical_section_title: Pith helmet / Modern use / Commonwealth
caption_attribution_description: English: The Duke of Edinburgh inspecting the parade before presenting a new regimental colour to the 3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment
context_page_description: The pith helmet, also known as the safari helmet, sun helmet, topee, sola topee or topi, is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of sholapith. The pith helmet is an adaptation of the native salakot headgear of the Philippines.
  It was often worn by European travelers and explorers, in the varying climates found in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the tropics, but was also used in many other contexts. They were routinely issued to European military personnel serving overseas "in hot climates" from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century.
context_section_description: The pith helmet is still used by a number of military units throughout the Commonwealth.
  In the United Kingdom, the Royal Marines wear white Wolseley pattern helmets of the same general design as the old pith helmet as part of their number 1 or dress uniform. These date from 1912 in their present form and are made of natural cork covered in white cloth on the outside and shade green on the inside. Decoration includes a brass ball ornament at the top (a detail inherited from the Royal Marine Artillery), helmet plate and chin chain.
  The Home Service helmet is still worn, as part of full dress uniform, by line infantry regiments in the United Kingdom today. Although the wearing of full dress uniform by these units largely ceased after the First World War, it continues to be worn by regimental bands, Corps of Drums and guards of honour on ceremonial occasions. Such personnel are likewise directed to wear the Foreign Service helmet (either colonial pattern or Wolseley pattern according to regimental specification) when full dress uniform is worn "in hot weather overseas stations such as Cyprus".
  The Royal Gibraltar Regiment routinely wear the white pith helmet with a white tunic (in summer) and scarlet tunic (in winter).
  Within the British Overseas Territories, a white Wolseley helmet with red and white swan-feather plume is still occasionally worn by Governors of colonial territories when in white tropical uniform. Since 2001, such dress has been provided only at the expense of the territory concerned and is no longer paid for by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
  The Wolseley pattern continues to be used by the Canadian Army for ceremonial purposes. Throughout the Primary Reserve, the ceremonial dress uniforms for a number of armour and infantry regiments utilize the Wolseley helmet. The Royal Canadian Regiment and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry of the Canadian Army's Regular Forces also use the Wolseley design (marked with a red and French grey puggaree respectively). In addition, the pith helmet is also worn by cadets at the Royal Military College of Canada for certain parades and special occasions. The pith helmet is also used by Australian military bands, such as the Army Band and the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, as well as the New South Wales Mounted Police, and the Band of the South Australia Police.
caption: The pith helmet continues to be used by a number of Canadian infantry regiments, such as the Royal Canadian Regiment. Here, a regiment is being inspected by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
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