British MkIII Turtle pattern helmet

**Norrie** · 06-08-2018, 09:01 PM

Hiya...I've fairly recently got really interested in the Mk111 ,Mk1V and MkV helmets....and have been lucky enough to find a few examples...just today, a 1945 dated LTD Mk1V arrived., minus the liner, but cheap as chips..its brown inside, and OD on the exterior.....I'll get some pics done this evening of them and posted up...

**canti44** · 07-20-2018, 05:24 PM

Hi all,

this is my Mk III for your delictation. The shell is stamped Ro&Co EN III 1945 and it sports a rather dry and cracked 1945 dated FFL liner. The autumn brown paint has a lovely patina with some storage marks but I couldn’t resist putting on a Canadian camo net which I’d been after for ages.

I’m sorry, I can’t work out how the images have split but hope you can still enjoy them.

Cheers,

Ian

**PhantomGuitar** · 07-20-2018, 05:49 PM

Nice lid, I always have a soft spot for these.

**Redstalker** · 08-18-2018, 10:48 AM

Just when I thought that a 1956 dated turtle was unusual and rare then a 1958 dated one comes along and this one is made by Rubbery Owen & Co. The liner in this is unmarked and unusual as it looks British but on closer inspection the oil skin liner is textured like snake skin. The liner has been fitted in such a way that it can not be removed without damaging it. Like the 1956 dated one I posted up on here, it also has the red oxide primer paint under the OD green paint.
Thanks for looking guys

**Greg Pickersgill** · 08-18-2018, 11:14 AM

by Redstalker

Just when I thought that a 1956 dated turtle was unusual and rare then a 1958 dated one comes along ...

Well, that's amazing. Thank you for showing this. I do wonder if the history behind this all obvious to a very few British helmet experts, but alas they rarely transmit their knowledge to the common herd. And there's no point waiting on Cotton;s rumoured Mighty Tome either for as I understand it his interest stops pretty abruptly at 1945. I was really surprised to find a 1956 shell a couple of years ago and this one certainly confirms that there's more going on than we generally understand.

There have been theories that these shells were made for users other than the British military, but I find that hard to take without real evidence.

So it seems that the liner fixation is not a simple LTD - can you possibly provide some more description or photos?

**Redstalker** · 08-18-2018, 02:20 PM

by Greg Pickersgill

Well, that's amazing. Thank you for showing this. I do wonder if the history behind this all obvious to a very few British helmet experts, but alas they rarely transmit their knowledge to the common herd. And there's no point waiting on Cotton;s rumoured Mighty Tome either for as I understand it his interest stops pretty abruptly at 1945. I was really surprised to find a 1956 shell a couple of years ago and this one certainly confirms that there's more going on than we generally understand.

There have been theories that these shells were made for users other than the British military, but I find that hard to take without real evidence.

So it seems that the liner fixation is not a simple LTD - can you possibly provide some more description or photos?

Hi Greg just lifted up the foam crucifix pad and it has been glued to the liner. Looking at the marks made from the rubber bumpers on the inside of the helmet the current liner bumpers don’t match up. I’m thinking someone has replaced the liner with this Dutch one. I will be attempting to remove it and will replace with a LTD liner

**Redstalker** · 08-18-2018, 02:36 PM

On further investigation and removing the liner it has been stuck down with glue and the inside painted black to resemble a British liner. The liner is a reddish brown colour and a faded black stamp. I’m sort of glad I’ve found this out as I thought this helmet may have been used by foreign army but now I can put a British liner back in.

**Composite** · 08-18-2018, 03:26 PM

1958?!.......just when we thought we’d closed that one down.....oh well, where’s that Drawing Board.....

**Redstalker** · 08-18-2018, 04:10 PM

by Composite

1958?!.......just when we thought we’d closed that one down.....oh well, where’s that Drawing Board.....

These must have been produced in very limited numbers as I had only ever seen a few 1956 dated ones but never a 1958 dated one

**CluelessTommy** · 11-03-2018, 02:39 PM

Hi all,
Thanks to all who have shared, with me being a novice this has made some good reading. I have what I believe to be a British mark III however on reading about the Belgian clones have confused myself, so any replies would be much appreciated; on the British helmet is the whole helmet non magnetic or just the rim and lugs?
How high are the lugs from the rim on the British helmet? And how long is it supposed to be, front to back? I would post pictures but haven’t worked out how to do that yet.
Thanks in advance,
Jack