this one is way above my knowing can someone please help me with this helmet.

[delibes]

hello fellow collectors i have found this one in the uk in a very old collection of helmets.
can't say what it is or what the meaning was for the helmet.
the only thing that is sure it is a us ww1 helmet made in the us.

[Nick Komiya]

The first photo showing under the rim is upside down, but carries the number 239. On the front of the shell, the large character is the first character for the word police 警察　or guard　警備. That much writing is identical between Japanese and Chinese, so which country used the helmet cannot be told from the writing.

[delibes]

hello nick

my savior
thank you very much with your help.
i really don't know what i would do without your help.
i really appreciate it.
greetings
delibes

[Nick Komiya]

Your helmet reminded me of a load of 200 British helmets that the IJA supplied to Germany in June 1942. The Japanese had captured many British items by that time, but all helmets were supplied to Germany by request of the German Embassy in Japan. What they wanted them for, I don't know, but sounds like the start of some pulp fiction.

[delibes]

ok thank you for the information.
could it also be possible that the IJA supplied this to their asian allies 'chinese,birman'?

[Nick Komiya]

I don't think your helmet had anything to do with the IJA, as the US was an ally of Japan in WW1, nothing to be captured by the Japanese. More likely to be US supply to the Chinese of obsolete stock between the wars.

[delibes]

thank you again for the info nick.

[DaveR]

A couple of pictures from https://chinesemartialstudies.com/2012/11/26/693/, Chinese troops in one picture, and a presentation of equipment to Chinese troops by a women's organisation, 1920's or early 30's.