MK1* South African Desert Camouflage

**FALLSCHIRMJAGER** · 09-03-2016, 05:22 PM

A super SA MKII, nice pick up. A lot of these seem to have the stacking rings on them so I guess the South African military must have held onto a fair few post North Africa campaign. Leon.

**tinlid** · 09-03-2016, 05:39 PM

The vast majority of these S.A helmets were never issued/used it seems, thats why they are always in such good condition, baring the stacking marks.
If you have an 1940 dated one painted in UDF green or over painted sand colour, they are the rare ones, in that they are most likely to have been used in ww2.

**OldSteel** · 09-03-2016, 06:23 PM

by tinlid

The vast majority of these S.A helmets were never issued/used it seems, thats why they are always in such good condition, baring the stacking marks.
If you have an 1940 dated one painted in UDF green or over painted sand colour, they are the rare ones, in that they are most likely to have been used in ww2.

Hi Aaron,
yes, is as you say; I have this example 1940 marked, I found it long time ago, I think it was used during ww2 period.
Also it seems to me interesting the riveted chinstrap hooks with rounded corners not at a right angle

Regards

**SMP** · 09-03-2016, 06:53 PM

As Aaron said, only the early ones are rare, and remember a large proportion of them were not even yellow, but were green or brown. 80% of all SA made helmets ( 1,300,000 ) went to the EGSC and were never used. It is these that became surplus a few years back, and they are the ones most often seen in collections and being offered for sale. Lots of the surplus ones were stacked with paper between helmets, and remains of the paper can still be found stuck to the liners. Some of these were re-painted green after the war. I remember certain London surplus dealers having hundreds of them for sale. Do not pay too much for these EGSC helmets.

**tinlid** · 09-03-2016, 07:48 PM

by OldSteel

Hi Aaron,
yes, is as you say; I have this example 1940 marked, I found it long time ago, I think it was used during ww2 period.
Also it seems to me interesting the riveted chinstrap hooks with rounded corners not at a right angle

Regards

The lugs are virtually a copy of the British Mk2 chin strap lugs, with clipped corners. These are the ones seen on the early S.A Mk2's, either with split rivets or a round rivet.