Canadian Steel Helmet Mk I*.

[Battery Command Post]

As we have been discussing Volksjager's Australian Steel Helmet Mk I* and tinlid's British Steel Helmet Mk I*, I will add this Canadian Steel Helmet Mk I*.







This helmet was refurbished from an early British 'War Office Pattern Helmet', which was the first production Brodie. Unlike the later Mk I it had no rim, and was manufactured in late 1915 - early 1916. The Manufacturer mark is M/O 66, which is a double mark for the manufacturer (J & J Maxfield & Sons) and the steel supplier (Samuel Osborne & Co Ltd).

It has been fitted with a 1941 dated Canadian Mk I Liner (V.M.C. - Viceroy Manufacturing Company), Mk I Bolt and Mk III Chinstrap Lugs. Canadian refurbishment started in 1940, using War Office Pattern, Mk I and US M1917 shells and this is one of about 26,000 made. My understanding is that these were intended for use by the Army in Canada only.

Rob

[Nitram]

Thanks for sharing. Ive noticed that the MK1 rims seem to usually be uneven around the edges, some parts are higher up, some lower. A side effect of 95 years of wear and tear?

Nitram

[Battery Command Post]

Thanks for sharing. Ive noticed that the MK1 rims seem to usually be uneven around the edges, some parts are higher up, some lower. A side effect of 95 years of wear and tear?

Nitram

To be absolutely accurate, this isn't a Mk I shell, the Mk I was the the type that replaced this one. This is the shell of the "War Office Pattern" (sometimes called a "Brodie type", but Brodie is also used to describe all helmets of this shape, so it's a rather confusing label).

They are definitely uneven compared to the Mk II, and are a lot more inconsistent in their shape. Many of the WO Pattern and Mk Is also show a slight rippling around the crown.

There was a similar British one posted on the forum a while ago, belonging to Joseph Barrett: British Mk.1* steel helmet

Rob

[moaning minnie]

just to add to what rob has already stated,first brodie with raw edge came in type A and type B,type B was issued first in mid august 1915 but troops swopped it for type A this was known as the brodie war office pattern,these were used at the somme,but they had one massive flaw due to the raw edge when troops fell over in dark trenches they caused injuries so in sept 1916 the steel edge was added this is what is known as the mk 1 brodie and served through to 1938 when the mk2 was in production.dave.

[Nitram]

I was actually reading up on these while researching a similar type of civil defense helmet, rather silly of me to make such a mistake days after reading about them! Thanks for pointing that out cool miltaria

Edit to clarify, the CD helmet I was researching is based on the the "brodie family" of helmets, and I came across the Type A's and B's as well as various developments from there on.

Nitram

[tinlid]

All very interesting stuff, thanks to all for sharing there knowledge.
Aaron

[Battery Command Post]

Well if we want to get technical about Brodies...

The Type A and Type B were prototype helmets issued for trial purposes. The Type A was judged most suitable, and, with a few changes it became the War Office Pattern, a mild steel helmet and the first production model. The shell was later made from manganese steel (so there are actually two types). The Steel Helmet Mk I was a development of War Office Pattern, rectifying, as moaning minnie says, some issues. It had a rim, a new liner, new chinstrap and new lugs. The liner of the Mk I was later modified slightly by the addition of a rubber ring to cushion the head and a change in the material used.

Therefore, there are six types of WWI Brodie helmet (dates are to the best of my info):

Type A Trial Pattern
Type B Trial Pattern
War Office Pattern (Mild Steel) - October 1915
War Office Pattern (Manganese Steel) - Dec 1915
Steel Helmet Mk I (1st Type) - April 1916
Steel Helmet Mk I (2nd Type) - May/June 1917

There were also some hybrid helmets that seem to date from Apr-Sep 1916 which have mixed features of the War Office and Mk I patterns, presumably using up old stock of parts.

Rob

[moaning minnie]

thats why were are all here Aaron to learn from each other,and on the best forum as well,cheers dave.

[moaning minnie]

just to add to what rob has already stated,first brodie with raw edge came in type A and type B,type B was issued first in mid august 1915 but troops swopped it for type A this was known as the brodie war office pattern,these were used at the somme,but they had one massive flaw due to the raw edge when troops fell over in dark trenches they caused injuries so in sept 1916 the steel edge was added this is what is known as the mk 1 brodie and served through to 1938 when the mk2 was in production.dave.

here is a typical example being sold as a mk1 refurb but is in fact a type A brodie war office pattern of 1915-16 raw edge so it proves both raw edge and mk1 rimmed were refurbished,dave

[tinlid]

Here's a picture of two MkI refurbs one with rim one without.