Original Item. Only One Available. This is the most tremendous example of a “Bell Top” shako we have ever offered, fully complete with a gilt plate of the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot, a regiment which served with distinction during the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. The shako has retained its Bell Top shape very well, and still retains much of the felt finish on the exterior, as well as the complete sweatband on the interior. The plate even fully retains its white ball tuft which protrudes from the tip of the crown. This model of shako would have been worn by Officers of the regiment from the late 1820s up until 1843, when the Bell Top was replaced by the Albert shako.

The shako is adorned with rich, intricate detailing including a polished brass plate emblazoned with regimental insignia and ornate embellishments. The plate is centered with the Roman numerals XXX denoting 30, for the 30th Regiment of Foot. Around this is the regimental motto, “Spectemur Agendo”, “Let us be judged by our actions”. Around this are four scrolls which denote the Battle Honors of the regiment up to this period, Waterloo, Salamanca, Peninsula, and Badajos. Below this is a small attached Egyptian Sphinx insignia with a scroll reading Egypt, denoting the regiment’s involvement in the French Campaign in Egypt & Syria during the War of the Second Coalition. The top of the plate features the British Crown, with the Ball Tuft housing meeting the tip of the crown.

Both sides of the shako are adorned with a Lion’s head chinstrap bale which holds the chinscales, which do miraculously retain their leather strap, although it is fraying a bit as shown. The chinscales correctly surround most of the hat and are hung from the floral post at the back of the shako. The buckle at the back of the shako appears to have been in its current position for over a century, so we have left it as is. The crown of the shako does display some level of warping which is well-known to happen to these Bell Top shakos over time, and is a testament to its age and authenticity. The front visor of the shako is also very well-retained and the stitching is still strong. The sweatband on the interior of the shako is also complete and displays very beautifully.

This is a truly phenomenal Bell Top shako, the most well-preserved example we have ever offered. You likely won’t find another from this era so meticulously preserved after almost 200 years. Comes ready for further research and display in any British Military Collection.

The 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1702. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot to form the East Lancashire Regiment in 1881.

In 1781 the regiment embarked for North America where they arrived in Charleston to take part in the southern campaign of the American War of Independence. The regiment then spent nine years on Antigua, Saint Lucia and Dominica. In 1782 all regiments of the line without a royal title were given a county designation and the regiment became the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot. In 1791 the regiment was called to put down a rebellion by the Maroons.

The regiment arrived back in England in 1791 and provided support to the French Royalists at the Siege of Toulon in autumn 1793 during the French Revolutionary Wars. In March 1801 the regiment formed part of the expedition to Egypt to drive out the French occupying force and took part in the Battle of Mandoraand then the Battle of Alexandria later that month. The regiment returned to England in 1802 and formed a second battalion in the following year. In January 1807 the 1st Battalion sailed for India where it remained throughout the war.

The 2nd Battalion embarked for Portugal in March 1809 for service in the Peninsular War. It fought at the Siege of Badajoz in March 1812: the battalion's losses were 6 officers including the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel George Grey, and 132 other ranks. It also saw action at the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812; at Salamanca Ensign John Pratt, a junior officer in the battalion, captured the French Imperial Eagle of the 22nd Regiment de Ligne. It went on to fight at the Siege of Burgos in September 1812 before returning home in December 1812. The battalion subsequently landed in Holland and fought at the Battle of Quatre Bras and the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. At Waterloo the 2nd Battalion, 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot and the 2nd Battalion, 30th Regiment of Foot formed a defensive square to defend their ground against successive French attacks.

By the beginning of 1816 the 2nd Battalion were once more in Ireland. In April 1817 the order came for disbandment of the 2nd Battalion. The same year, the 1st Battalion, already in India, was involved in the Third Anglo-Maratha War before returning to England in 1829. The regiment then served in Ireland from 1831 to 1834, in Bermuda from 1834 to 1841 and Nova Scotia from 1841 to 1843. It was back in Ireland again from 1844 to 1846.

The regiment landed at Scutari in May 1854 and was present at the Battle of Alma in September 1854, the Battle of Inkerman in November 1854 and the Siege of Sevastopol in winter 1854 during the Crimean War. In June 1861 the regiment moved to Canada as Britain increased their military presence following the Trent Affair. The regiment remained there until 1869, and was involved in repelling the Fenian raids.

The regiment was posted to Ireland in 1869, moving to Jersey in 1871. As part of the Cardwell Reforms of the 1870s, where single-battalion regiments were linked together to share a single depot and recruiting district in the United Kingdom, the 30th was linked with the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot, and assigned to district no. 15 at Burnley Barracks in Lancashire. It sailed for India in January 1880. On 1 July 1881 the Childers Reforms came into effect and the regiment amalgamated with the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot to form the East Lancashire Regiment.