Hessian helmet cover

[Mark K]

I received this hessian helmet cover in the post last week and IMO it shows genuine usage and age it is slightly stained black in a few locations and shows one spot were it would appear a little rust has bled through the material.
The textiles are consistent with period known example I have compared it to at the Nanaimo Military Museum and it is rather stiff and has retained its shape ( memory ) from were it has been sitting on a Mk II for some time the draw string that was used is as well produced from a single strand of heavy burlap material and has been woven through the cover quite tightly.
I do know that there have been fakes and reproductions produced of these over the years and they can be some what of a nightmare to authenticate as period originals but feel this example stands a very good chance I would appreciate any other thoughts and or opinions on this cover from you gents.

Regards Mark

[Mark K]

Just a little bump looking for a few opinions besides my own.

Regards Mark

[Jerry B]

Excuse my ignorance Mark, but were these issue or field made?

[Watchdog]

Excuse my ignorance Mark, but were these issue or field made?

I stand to be corrected but I believe they were somewhere between the two. That is to say not factory made and issued through the supply system but produced under local arrangements at unit level. So some may have been made by a local factory whilst others by the unit textiler etc. Of course some were made by the toms themselves using just a split open sandbag. We were still using this method on our aged MkIV / MkV lids up until the MKVI arrived in the '80s.

I think the one at the top of this thread is a particularly nice and sophisticated example but as to how old who knows as that type of sand bag with that type of drawstring whilst being replaced by the sage green type with synthetic drawstrings was still in circulation in the '90s.

Regards

Mark

[Jerry B]

I stand to be corrected but I believe they were somewhere between the two. That is to say not factory made and issued through the supply system but produced under local arrangements at unit level. So some may have been made by a local factory whilst others by the unit textiler etc. Of course some were made by the toms themselves using just a split open sandbag. We were still using this method on our aged MkIV / MkV lids up until the MKVI arrived in the '80s.

I think the one at the top of this thread is a particularly nice and sophisticated example but as to how old who knows as that type of sand bag with that type of drawstring whilst being replaced by the sage green type with synthetic drawstrings was still in circulation in the '90s.

Regards

Mark

Thanks Mark, I read the thread about mosquito covers and the hessian covers and their issue is mentioned in that thread, and agrees with what you said.

I know it is the wrong war but I bought this pc recently with Australian troops in the great war, most with hessian covers on their lids.

[Mark K]

Thank you for the reply gentlemen and I do believe Mark is correct that these were somewhat of an in between piece of kit as to age who can say for shur.
It does feel right in hand and has the smell of age about it the cover came from the same seller that I purchased a tan tropical cover from so thought it was worth taking a bit of a gamble .

Regards Mark