My M1 relic from italian front

**Zeller** · 12-13-2009, 08:36 PM

This is the only M1 I have in my collection and it was found in a lake in northern Italy. The guy who gave it to me saved the pics of the helmet when he found it and after the mild restoration. Basically I didn't have to do anything because it was an excellent job already. Hope you'll like it. Zeller

**NickD** · 12-13-2009, 09:32 PM

thats a great looking fixed bail relic lid mate nice one

**Cannonman17** · 01-07-2010, 12:23 AM

Please forgive my ignorance but what's up with the chop holes in the back??

**Ty Revelo** · 01-07-2010, 04:09 AM

I must ask the same question. It looks as if a large 3 prong fork pierced the pot. I can't imagine this happening in battle but after by who ever had found it. We will never know.

It's a very nice relic. Thanks for showing.

rgds, TY

**Zeller** · 01-07-2010, 08:13 AM

Hello, I've found other M1 helmets over here and they were all cracked on sides or on the back. This one has vertical cracks and in 3 ponts the metal was broken. I suppose that the stay in a ice cold mountain lake made the metal more fragil and easy to break.

**Cannonman17** · 01-07-2010, 08:51 AM

I would have to politely disagree with you sir, freezing and thawing can and will distort metal, no doubt, but it will not poke three distinct holes in it like this one. The three holes in the back of this helmet, in my opinion, were made by the hands of man.

**Reg** · 01-07-2010, 11:28 AM

Nice Job on the restoration! The fork theory sounds good to me.

Reg

**buellmeister** · 01-07-2010, 12:21 PM

Perhaps was pitchforked and used at one point as a water ladle? (A reach I know)

Joel

**Zeller** · 01-27-2010, 12:09 PM

Hi, here are 2 more shots where you can see that the helmet was simply cracked (it's like that all around) and some bits fell apart. Nothing was attached. It was simply too fragile and probably was damage while recovering from the lake.
M1 were not commonly used for such jobs, because not strong enough. You can commonly find

german helmets with handles soldered and used for empting black waters or other dirty jobs. I found many, in the years and it's not a pleasant view