MK1 British Helmet

[William1]

To quote the Imperial War Museum on the construction of the liner... 'The liner is of two part construction of an oval crown pad of lint, asbestos, and felt.'

If that's what the IWM says, then I think that you can take it as being correct. Don't mess with the asbestos.

I wouldn't rely too much on the IWM's knowledge given that they say the 1950 combat suit continued until replaced by the 1968 pattern....there are other blunders of theirs I could quote but they may be right here, however a primary source would be more reassuring. I still wouldn't mess with it though!

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I wouldn't rely too much on the IWM's knowledge given that they say the 1950 combat suit continued until replaced by the 1968 pattern....there are other blunders of theirs I could quote but they may be right here, however a primary source would be more reassuring. I still wouldn't mess with it though!

And what is wrong with that? I was issued with the 1950 pattern in 1969, and I have a picture of myself wearing it while on exercise in West Germany. We didn't get the 1968 pattern until about 1971, and at the same time we had to paint our vehicles in matt green and black. But this has nothing to do with a very nice WW1 Mk1 helmet!

[William1]

And what is wrong with that? I was issued with the 1950 pattern in 1969, and I have a picture of myself wearing it while on exercise in West Germany. We didn't get the 1968 pattern until about 1971, and at the same time we had to paint our vehicles in matt green and black. But this has nothing to do with a very nice WW1 Mk1 helmet!

Missing out the 1953 pattern, 1960 pattern OG and 1960 pattern dpm is what's wrong with that. Pretty basic stuff I would have thought. The relevance to WW1 helmets and their linings is that the IWM don't always know what they're talking about. To give just two more fairly basic examples: they don't know what a PH helmet is - they call it a gas hood - and they're incapable of setting up a chest rig the right way round on one of their photo displays. As I've said, it may be correct about the asbestos but I'd prefer to see the original source material as the IWM seem to have absorbed one or two collectorisms, presumably after they shed most of their experienced staff, lost interest in the exhibits and tried to become an educational institution instead of a museum. If you're happy to take their word as gospel, fine. I'm not. There are some serious gaps in their professional knowledge and just being "the IWM" doesn't automatically make them right.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

William, this is dragging the thread away from the original post about a Brodie, it isn't good at all. See my PM and leave it at that.

[William1]

I'm trying to stimulate intelligent and informed discussion. See any of my other posts and it should be fairly clear that's what I always try to do. It is a bit of a pain repeatedly being told to shut up by someone who isn't actually a moderator, but I don't think I've any further points to add.

[Jerry B]

This is what the H&SE supplied in response to a request for information on the subject of WWII gasmasks and WWI helmets. They state that no firm evidence was provided by the IWM regarding WWI helmets apart from staing that they did contain asbestos. No actual tests were undertaken to prove this and of course both the IWM and the H&SE took the path less likely to result in them being sued.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/reque...une%202014.pdf

There was evidence produced to show that the version with the rubber ring did contain asbestos but I cannot find it on any of the forums I thought it might be on and this thread contains a post be asterperious which seems to have the evidence that they did not, though he never actually posted it here, which would have been good to see.

My latest Brodie helmet


If in doubt, just don't mess with it, but its been there for nealry 100 years and I have never heard of anyone suffering because of this. The bigger scare was its use in WWII gas masks as school kids were wearing them and in such a case I can understand concerns, but for WWI helmets.

Obviously, you make your own mind up on this but for FFS

[wizardman]

Its turned into an interesting discussion, my view is that it is more than likely Asbestos, from talking to a number of people about it. William is right though when it comes to Museums, often they have a rudimentary knowledge of items, even the large ones as IWM or the AWM..My experience with them (the museums) is that they place less of an emphasis on items as opposed to the stories they tell, where they are handy to us collectors, are examples and the vast archives.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

There are hidden hazards in many objects of military hardware. The old marching compasses contain high levels of radiation. Vickers guns often have asbestos string packing to stop leakage of water between barrel and cooling jacket. As for museums, to many of the staff employed there they are only doing a job and know little about the actual artefacts. But there are always the more knowledgeable working away somewhere in the background. I have often found that sometimes, the better museums are some of the old regimental museums. The IWM North is an absolute joke.

[Jerry B]

The IWM has a massive archive of documents and objects, but how well versed in it all is the staff I could not say, though the refurb of the displays undertaken a few years back have ruined it IMO.

The liner specs for the pre donut version

[wizardman]

I was there for the new opening, didnt like it at all..everyone walking back and forth to a smart pad, to know what they were looking at..no one around the actual exhibit, just queuing for a screen