Has This Relic been 'decommissioned' or?

[olboy]

[MAP]

It is either an EF M40 (Emaillierwerke A.G., Fulda) or an SE M40 (Sachsische Emaillier und Stanzwerke, Lauter ) Probably sized 64.

To go back a bit...and I am 100% happy to be wrong, but I thought it was only the WW1 helmets that were "decommissioned" (...through a pick ax or whatever other means).

I think Frank is correct to consider that this is likely a grave marker

[olboy]

I don't seem to be able to find much in the way of research of decommissioned ww2 helmets. I get what you and others had said and however I can't explain away the first image of decommissioning as the exact holes that he's making are the same as mine and also the complete helmet has been twisted and also 'why the large hole if it was a grave marker'?

Mine opinion is just a hypothesis

[olboy]

And thanks for the possible make of this, I haven't a clue as I'm just starting out.

[Eric2575]

I see differences in the damage caused by the pick axe and your helmet. If you look at the damage from the first pics, the pile of helmets that have been "decommissioned", most if not all of them have a very precise rectangle corresponding to the four sided pick of the axe. Your helmet does not have such a clearly defined rectangle. Due to this I would rule out the pick axe theory. If it was a grave marker, any number of tools/utensils might have been use repeatedly to make that hole for a make shift wooden cross. This one, I'm afraid, is another one for the "may have been" drawer.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

There is always the possibility that the hole is shrapnel damage, the fact that the hole is on the dome does not necessarily mean that it was struck from above, and nor does it mean that it might have been worn at the time of impact. Given the state of the liner I'm very surprised that no-one has yet chirped in with; 'blood rot,' that mythical power of spilt blood to eat away at almost anything. And yet when you ask for scientific proof, no-one can ever come up with it.

When you weigh up the size of the hole it would have to be one hell of a sized nail to secure the helmet to a post, the head of the surely massive nail would need to be in the region of 30mm or more to overlap the hole. But then again, maybe the cross was made of some other material - such as steel rods, and the top of the cross was passed through the helmet... or maybe someone just took out his revenge on a discarded helmet and drove something through it. The only thing that anyone can be sure about is that it is a helmet with a hole... and no-one can be sure how it got there - or for what purpose.

Cheers,
Steve

[olboy]

One side of the whole is particularly square like it's been hit by a pickaxe or at the very least something square like and obviously powerful.
I've given a lot of thought about it being used as a grave marker and I might add something that I wouldn't have thought prior if not for this forum. I do believe now that it too could have been used a grave marker.
I doubt I'll ever get a definitive of what actually has caused this damage but it's fun, knowledgeable and even social buying such historical things........and as equally enjoyable holding these things and wandering and not really knowing what it is your holding or it's circumstances that led it to your hand.