A paratrooper helmet dated 1972, but which country? Help please

**britrecko** · 11-24-2010, 02:02 AM

I found this in that cache of helmets that i found in my cedar chest,
the style looks like english but i have bever seen a tin inner shell.
There are markings which photograph poorly indicating the initials c.w.l. Also a size 71/4and what i presume is a date 1972.
There is an aged cardboard tag which has an inscription cfn buckley.. The sizing and name suggest an anglo saxon origin. The liner shows wear with 2 small leather attachments and a rear buckle.there is a broad arrow which suggests a british empire origin. I wonder whether this is a butchered helmet with inner liner? I am going to sell all my helmets now and have used ebay and paypal but i would appreciate the members description and thoughts. Theliner reminds me of the the ssh 36 in that the liner allows airflow inside the helmet.also like the french adrian,

**Adrian Stevenson** · 11-24-2010, 09:08 AM

British post war issue Para helmet. But it is missing the foam padding between the leather sweatband and the liner band.

Cheers, Ade.

**britrecko** · 11-25-2010, 03:31 AM

As always. Thank you ade

**britrecko** · 11-29-2010, 03:15 AM

this helmet is up for sale on a popular web site .
i have received a private communication that this is a mark 2 british paratrooper helmet and was one of 4000 u.k war office ordered converted mark 1 dispatch rider helmets. any confirmation or additional information please? i want to accurately describe and price the item.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 11-29-2010, 03:17 PM

They did not convert dispatch riders helemts...... do not use that info. The only converted Don R lids to airborne ones are modern fakes.

Cheers, Ade.

**britrecko** · 11-30-2010, 03:43 AM

again as always thank you ade. john
"if you three true friends bind the to your soul with hoops of steel"

**britrecko** · 12-04-2010, 04:40 PM

this helmet is up for sale on ebay but in 7 days [with 3 days left] there have been over a 100 lookers but only one watcher. if the members could take a look and advise. in 11 years selling on this site this this never happened with so few watchers. over 100 for the mark 2 tankers helmet with one bid. if the price is too high i can lower it. Or do they think its a fake dispatch rider helmet conversion. i trust and believe ade's view but i do not mention this site at all . i do not want to break any rules. i need the space and not the helmet since this is the last of my airborne items. any item i put up here will go for sale on the ebay site,site except the german items unless they are my 2 imperial gorgets. if it doesn't sell i will keep it somehow since my regiment as a cadet was the South Staffords whose airborne unit fought at Arnhem. i recall the survivors from my home town in england getting free beer and food in any pub and the people cheered as they walked the streets.our town lost a lot of lads in that battle.

**tinlid** · 12-04-2010, 08:43 PM

Hi Ade,
I expect you already might know this anyway but the Canadians were short of para helmets in the early 1950's & converted there Despatch riders helmets to para ones. They cut off the curtain & chin strap, added a top pad & drilled 4 holes for the leather chin straps. The helmet was worn reversed so the brow pad on the DR helmet became a neck support on the airborne helmet. They also added the webbing chin straps as well, not sure if they used British DR helmets for the conversion. This might be why there is confusion about fake para/DR helmets when they really did alter them for the reason mentioned above, not that I would want one.
Aaron

**britrecko** · 12-05-2010, 03:08 PM

thank you very much aaron. knowing that you would not want one what for the re-enactor who might want to look like a para. do you think it's worth in terms of price. i will adjust the listing accordingly.
"Deception is an unworthy tool." i will not fall into that trap. fortunately, i sell mainly and sometimes only for the need for space. john

**tinlid** · 12-05-2010, 05:55 PM

Hi There,
Your helmet is a standard British post war paratroopers helmet, it's not a messed about one like the despatch riders helmets that were altered, so in it's own right is still very collectable. But as I said the post war ones normally go for £200-£300, a nice unmessed about WW2 webbing chin strap one can go for over £600

I would start with a low starting bid, maybe have a reserve price just in case it does'nt go for much, you can never tell, sometimes an item will get 2-3 times more that it should & other times goes for a song.
Aaron