My British MK1 Brodie

**maximus71** · 08-21-2013, 06:01 PM

Hi All,
Trying to round out my helmet collection and added a nice WW2 British MK1, I am not sure about the paint being original but it looks really good, I do see brush marks from a repaint I guess but I have seen that on many of these, the shell is stamped and dated GSW MK1 1942, the liner is a small size but looks to be original also, it is dry and stiff and probably has shrunken over the years, the dome screw looks like it was never touched, I added the netting and shell dressing myself because I like the look, feel free to comment or offer any knowledge, I beleive I have a nice example

**Shadwellarmy** · 08-21-2013, 06:30 PM

Nice lid. Its a Canadian MKII made by "General Steelwares and Aluminum Goods of Canada" in Toronto. Looks like original paint to me. Whats written on the liner?

Cheers, Mads

**maximus71** · 08-21-2013, 06:43 PM

No writing on the liner, and the shell is marked MK1, does the liner system make it an MK2? so this was worn by a canadian soldier? were the british ones stamped by a different maker? I think I need to do more research lol

**Jerry B** · 08-21-2013, 06:49 PM

All the Canadian tommies I have seen are stamped MKI, but it is a WWII Canadian made helmet as Mads posted.

**maximus71** · 08-21-2013, 06:54 PM

Thank you, It was sold to me as a british helmet but canada works for me also, I just want to make sure I label it properly for display, WW2 Canadian Tommy Helmet is proper then?

**Shadwellarmy** · 08-21-2013, 06:56 PM

There should be a subtle stamp on the cross band of the liner. Try have a closer look.

Its an MKII but the Canadians kept designating them as MKI. All the MK's (incl. British) were stamped according to the maker, there were 2 shell manufacturers in Canada, several in the UK and in the large Commonwealth countries. Here is a good website for more info: Brodie Manufacturers - The Brodie Helmet and its derivatives

The helmet was most likely used by a Canadian soldier.

Cheers, Mads

**maximus71** · 08-21-2013, 08:17 PM

Thank you for the help and the link, I will research more, and I found a stamped marking on the liner cross band of 6 7/8, must be the size, also a V M C underneath it along with a roman numeral 2 and 1941 or 42 I believe, its hard to see and far down the padding which is stiff, I am going to display it as doughboy/brodie/tommie since it represents 3 different countries, a 1942 MK11 Canadian helmet, with a 1940 British shell dressing and WW2 U.S netting, how is that for a mutt? lol I paid 60US which I think is a good price.

**Shadwellarmy** · 08-22-2013, 02:43 PM

Dont know if the Canadians were issued American nets but British shell dressings were often used by the Canadians in both the Italian and Western Europe theatre as far as I know.

The price sounds fair.

Cheers, Mads

**Mark K** · 08-22-2013, 02:59 PM

Hi Mads I do not believe Canadians were issued with US camo nets but in the theater of operations any thing is possible of course Maximus here are a couple of images of one of my Canadian Helmets with the proper two tone camo net and C-broad arrow marked field dressing for comparison.

Regards Mark K

**maximus71** · 08-22-2013, 03:14 PM

Thanks guys! Mark your helmet is definatly a complete original, I didnt even know the nets were two toned, that is pretty neat, I just threw on a U.S net because I had an extra one laying around and it spruces up the lid, and my friends wont know the difference lol. Always so much to learn with every military item concerning WW2 that is why I love collecting this stuff!