Two Fj helmets Arnhem

**Haagsebeek** · 10-12-2015, 09:12 PM

Hello historians, and militaria enthousiast,

Her are two German FJ helmets found in Arnhem in May of 1945.
After the battle of September 1944, the old owner of these helmets found them aprx 80 meters
from his house on the Cattepoelseweg number four. This area was hit by a V1 rocket
and nine houses were distroyed. It was under the rubble of one of these houses, (see photo)
that he found the two helmets, later they also discovered the bodies of several FJ pioneers.
They had been based in one of the buildings that was distroyed by their own V1 rocket.
On the picture with the arrow you can see were they were found. One of the helmets has shrapnel damage.
The other one is missing the inside because there was some human tissue inside the helmet and his mother
told him to get rid of the inside. When the owner gave the helmet to me it still had the string that
he had put there as a chin strap, he was twelve :-). He had not thrown the leather inside away after all but had hidden it in his loft
but lost track of it and never found it again.
He also found two life jackets in a ditch by the river Rhine
one which he gave to a museum and the other he gave to me for my collection which also includes many other items he had found
in the stone factory which was located between Heteren and Driel.
.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 10-12-2015 09:12 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**big ned** · 10-12-2015, 09:23 PM

Shrapnel or pick axe....???

**MAP** · 10-12-2015, 09:45 PM

Agree Ned. Pick axe IMHO. If shrapnel of this size, the damage to the liner would have caused massive damage and blood. The liner is in pristine condition except for the small tear.

would be nice to see what Terry says about the shells.

**Haagsebeek** · 10-12-2015, 09:54 PM

sorry guys i forgot,the one with the hole was hanging on a coatrek.....and believe me it was shrapnel from that v1. and the other one was found in the rebel with blood inside.

**MAP** · 10-12-2015, 10:14 PM

Ok. Just so we understand. It wasn't being worn at the time. Correct?

Great story with the helmets. Nice to preserve it!

Michael

**M38** · 10-13-2015, 12:56 AM

Both look okay to me, from what I see in the pictures. The one with the liner and straps had a decal at one time, but scratched away at some point. Some serious damage to that one too but as stated, it was surely not on someone's head at the time. Good find, congratulations!

Cheers,
Terry