More help to identify WWII items ..

[Belgrade]

Giorgos,

Do you think that the original one is No 6 and then, during the resitence, the user lost the stopper and creteed one out of wood?

Or that the British manufactured and sold or gave those water bottles, with this stoppers , to the greek army?

thanx

[gi0rgos p]

No 6 is the one used by British/Commonwealth forces during WW2 and before. No 10 is actually a post war standard issue Greek army one. All of these had wooden stoppers, so the pictured example doesn't show any "personal improvisation", in order to replace a lost cork. Unfortunately I don't know if the canteens with these stoppers were handed to the Greek army as such or if they were modified later, during the 50s, but I suspect that the latter is the case. So, no real connection to WW2, apart from the canteen being probably of wartime manufacture, like many equipment pieces given as aid to the post war recreated Greek army.

Give me some time with the photos of my canteen, as I 'll have to go for now, I 'll take them and post them tomorrow, as soon as I can!

Regards, Giorgos

[mk1rceme]

That helmet sure looks like a US Navy talker helmet. I say this because the two holes on each side would have been for attaching the chinstrap...unless the Greek helmet had the same. Would have to see a picture of the inside to be sure. The liner should be made of a sorbo material if it is a talker helmet.

[tampalam]

I saw a Greek one this morning which had the rivets in the same place as the one pictured in this thread. The match is almost perfect from what I can see. However, it is for sale on another forum in very good condition and I don't know if it is frowned upon to link here.

I have a talker helmet without the ear flaps here and it looks different than this one on the thread.

[gi0rgos p]

That helmet sure looks like a US Navy talker helmet. I say this because the two holes on each side would have been for attaching the chinstrap...unless the Greek helmet had the same. Would have to see a picture of the inside to be sure. The liner should be made of a sorbo material if it is a talker helmet.

It might look like it, but it surely is a Greek M34/39. The two holes on each side are for the rivets holding the liner in place. As far as I can see due to their absence, there's no liner and chinstrap left.

There has been a thread on these some time ago, had posted one of mine, but I can't find it now, must be due to the forum's upgrade. Have a look at this link:
HELMETS HELMET COLLECTION GREEK HELMET GREECE

Regards, Giorgos

PS: I found some close up pics of the rivets of mine:

[gi0rgos p]

Belgrade, I took the pics I promised yesterday. Greek WW2 era water bottles were based at the German WW1 pattern and as far as I know they are found in two patterns. Although the "body" is the same, they had different stoppers. Mine has a cork and as far as I can see, if yours is actually a Greek one, it would be of the other pattern with a screwing stopper. These canteens would be attached to the belt either through a hook, like in my example, or through a leather tab attached over the felt cover. Have a look at the main shape and the chain.

Regards, Giorgos



This is the main feature that got my attention, the hollow back, to make carrying more comfortable.