Authorized in June of 1877 the regulation Foreign Service Helmet, was made of cork and covered in white cloth with six seams. It was worn throughout the empire, and this pattern remained in use until replaced by the Wolsely pattern helmet.

Despite what movies suggest the helmet was typically worn without a badge. Officer's helmets typically utilized the same type of chinscales as the Home Service Helmet. This example is covered in doeskin, which was a common covering for private purchase officer's helmets.

This example was formerly owned by Major C. Venables-Llewelyn of the Glamorgan Imperial Yeomanry. This example is complete with its correct original white metal chin chain. It was produced by Hamburger Rogers & Son King Street, Covent Garden, London.

It features the puggaree, which was authorized for wear on the helmets in 1877. This cloth wrap around the outer headband of the helmet, for station in Malta, India, Ceylon, Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements, the West Indies and Bermuda, St. Helena, Canada, West Africa and the Cape. The purpose of this cotton cloth wrapping was to help keep the helmet cool.

Commonly called the topi, the Wolseley sun helmet was used throughout the late 19th century, and remained in service through the Second World War. The body is cork covered with khaki drill cloth, with six seams. These helmets were typically bound around the headband with a khaki pugree.

This helmet example features the retail label of Cearn & Company in Nairobi.

This helmet example is from the WWI period, and features the patch of the Lancashire Fusiliers. This unit fought at the infamous Gallipoli campaign in 1915.

This helmet example is from the interwar period. It features the naval blue and white pugree.

The India Pattern Sun Helmet, more commonly known as the "Bombay Bowler." This type of helmet was highly popular with British regiments during the Second World War in India and Burma, while also being popular with officers in North Africa.

This example was made in India, and features a front badge of the Northamptonshire Regiment. These badges were not typically worn in the field, but were common behind the lines by many soldiers.

A 1930's era "Bombay Bowler." This example was made in India, and features a front badge of the King's Own Malta Regiment, which was a territorial infantry regiment prior to Malta's independence. The unit was disbanded in 1921, but raised again in 1931. This helmet comes from the collection of Dave Powers.

The Wolseley pattern helmet has been the standard dress headgear for the Royal Marines, featuring a ball on top, a distinction once standard for artillerymen. This derives from the part of the Corps that was once the Royal Marine Artillery. This example is dated 1973.