Crests as a defense!

[marsvigilia]

I'm teriible trying to picture something from just a description. Could you post a pix of your helmet with the crest.
Thanks

I participate in the notorious SCA sport combat groups (yes I can hear the sighs and moans now..). I fight as an ancient greek with a steel helm with a horsehair crest and leather crest box....and I have to tell you that it really upsets some opponents, since it cushions so much of the blunt force impact of a blow that I can't even detect that one even landed. The blow I'm referring to is a rattan sword thrown at my cranium at maximum velocity with the intent to do bodily harm. Normally a blow like that on a steel helm would easily be felt, heard (loud ringing) and followed up by a fast submission on the part of the dizzy recipient. Yippee crestas!

Micarius

[Gallus Marinus Micarius]

It's with great hesitation that I post something non-roman and especially non-historical in this group, however, it might contribute something on this topic as it is used in no-holds-barred sport combat events:

Here's the helm I fight in...please note that it is NOT an historical representation, rather it's as close as I managed to get while balancing safety (sca armor criteria & regulations) and cost, with an attempt at superficial historical representation. It's powder coated steel with crossed bars across the face for protection and padded & painted with modern materials. The cresta, however, is actual horsehair in a hand sewn leather cresta box, albeit bolted to the helm...

[marsvigilia]

I asked for the picture. And I certainly won't criticize. In fact I am completely impressed with the leather crest box. I have two wooden ones, but I like your leather one much better. Very cool.

May I ask how you made it?

Thank you much.

[drsrob]

I have read other romantic stories about the origin of various peculiarities circulating in the British Army.
The practice of The Royal Horse Guards to salute even when bare-headed for instance. It is said to derive from a commanding officer reporting from a succesful charge without hat (or whig). Actually about 1900 the RHG were late in recieving the new field caps and for a time went bare-headed in camp.

Reminds me of when I was stationed at RAF Greenham Common. Crossing a parking lot near headquarters one day, I saluted the British Wing Commander. (We had a U.S. Wing Commander there also.) The British commander was rather embarrassed when I saluted, because he had simply run out to his car and not worn his "cover." He informed me that he could not return the salute, since he wasn't wearing his cap.

In the United States military, I was taught that the salute is simply a formal greeting--initiated by the subordinate service member as a sign of respect. As a greeting, salutes can even be rendered (1) between people of equal rank and (2) when one or both individuals are wearing civilian attire.

The origin of the military salute is a formalised movement of taking off the hat. In the 18 century that was the way how soldiers greated each other, just like civilians. However this was not easily done with the brimless caps of various elite forces, such as the grenadiers.
These elite forces therefore substituted the gesture of touching the headgear with the tip of the fingers. In the 19th century all troops adopted largely brimless caps, usually with chinstrap. Therefore the formalized salute became the norm. Even so, for a period officers, wearing chapeau's were for a time expessly forbidden from substituting the salute for taking of the hat.