The Canadian Mk II and its components

[ComradeYouri]

Hey Mark another question: Did all helmets have a ''spring'' chinstrap? I have seen a 1942 shell with a 1941 liner which has a chinstrap without springs. Would this chinstrap be British then?

[Mark K]

Hi Youri yes that is correct all Canadian War time produced Mk II helmets would have come with the Mk II style of chinstrap with the spring loaded ends ..
And there is a good probability the one piece strap you are referring to is British in origin of course impossible to say with out an image though..

Regards Mark

[ComradeYouri]

Hey Mark thanks for your quick reply!

I have made a picture from a reference book, this helmet is a GSW from 1942. Both chinstraps are shown in the book but it says nothing about the chinstraps individually, only that the chinstraps in general are made by ''Backstay Standard''.

Chinstrap without springs


Hope this clears it out a bit.

[Mark K]

Yes that is correct I have covered all of the known produced chinstraps earlier in the thread IMO war time produced there were only two both spring loaded the one has the closed center strut and the sewn end..
Both were produced by Backstay Standards.

Regards Mark

[ComradeYouri]

Aha thanks this clears it out!

[CBH]

Hi Mark , just a quick question . Do you know of a way to soften brittle helmet liners ?

[Mark K]

Hi Chris to be quite honest I have never tried ..

Regards Mark

[JoeF]

Was the yellow size stamp on the inside of the liner only on post war liners? I have a helmet with a partial date 194? I 'm trying figure out if it's a post war liner or WWII. Thanks Joe

[RVLucy]

Could you post a picture, I don't recall every seeing such a feature. The size is usually impressed into the fibre band, although it may be chalked, penciled or inked in a more conspicuous spot perhaps to aid in issuing correctly-sized helmets.
Roger

[JoeF]

Hi Roger. Here's the yellow size stamp & partial date stamp .