Canada. A Governor General’s Body Guard Helmet, C.1895

The helmet is constructed of silver metal with brass fittings and a white falling plume made of horsehair, the obverse presents a gilded badge with crowned garter with central maple leaf over motto NULLI SECUNDUS (SECOND TO NONE), below is a gilt laurel wreath above the front peak, with a maple leaf band up the back, the interior presents a light-brown, six-tongued leather liner, unmarked, the helmet is missing the chinstrap, it measures 19 cm (w) x 25 cm (l) x 42 cm (h), and is in overall near extremely fine condition.

Footnote: The Governor General’s Body Guard was first organized under the name of the West York Cavalry. In 1822, Colonel Chewett of the 1st West York Regiment of Militia persuaded Captain George Taylor Denison of Bellevue, Toronto to raise and command a troop for cavalry. After 1831, they assumed the name York Dragoons. When the Rebellion of 1837 confronted Toronto, Denison’s troops was taken into regular British service and granted the honorary designation of Queen’s Light Dragoons.

The Militia Act of 1846 provided the first official recognition of volunteer corps by Canadian authorities and the Queen’s Light Dragoons were re-gazetted the 1st Toronto Independent Troop of Cavalry. In 1853, a regiment of volunteer cavalry designated the 1st Regiment, York Light Dragoons was formed in the county of York and Denison’s Independent Troop of Cavalry was named the 1st Troop. After the Militia Act of 1855, it became the 1st Troop, Volunteer Militia Cavalry of the County of York. They were frequently called on to escort the Governor-General and a memorial was presented to His Excellency in 1861 requesting that the troop be granted the title of the Governor General’s Body Guard. However, the Royal Guides of Montreal were gazetted the Governor General’s Body Guard in 1866, and, after great protest, they changed designation to the Governor General’s Body Guard for Lower Canada and the 1st York Cavalry to the Governor General’s Body Guard for Upper Canada. In 1867, they became the Governor General’s Body Guard for Ontario. They were placed on active duty during the Fenian raids of 1866, serving in Fort Erie. In 1885, they raised two troops and served with General Middleton’s North West Field Force. In May 1889, the Body Guard was raised to the status of a cavalry regiment of four troops and received the new designation of the Governor General’s Body Guard in 1895.

In 1871, the officers of the Body Guard imported helmets from England made of German silver, with a white horsehair plume, supplying them to the men at cost price.

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