mkII (&mkI or earlier) Helmets Steel, British & Commonwealth, show yours

[tinlid]

Sometimes can be hard to tell when an helmet has a bit of wear, but most likely not an desert camo.
Close up can you see if it has had an over paint?

[Panzer Kettenglied Sammler]

see link Croydon and chemical warfare in the First World War - The Croydon Citizen

That's ww1, yet to find WW2 link

[Composite]

..help required.....



War time helmet (obvs)....but what's the marking?

"COLUMN" was used by the NFS (Column Officer)....but they didn't OFFICIALLY have white lids....also it's half of "Regional Column".......'see where I'm going....but

"CDR" often crops up in post war "COMMANDER" (civil) roles BUT was also the initials for Civil Defence Reserves (known as Regional Column.....'get it?)

...so it's a post war Civil Defence Reserve leader?????

But inside is marked with "NFS" and their serial number....



...but liners can be switched right?....oh, and transient Regional Column (CDR) staff often had to take their liners with them for the RC helmet shells.....but NFS didn't have white helmets (again!)...but "NFS" isn't on the helmet....so it's an NFS chap who was doing time with the RC and took his NFS liner when he went...very doubtful....and NFS lasted longer than the war did...

Could it be SS? (well they may as well have a go too........)

I'm serious.....'any suggestions?.....there needs to be a book on these things.....

[Hallibag]

Here’s a Canadian Brodie Mk.II that appears to have been flashed for the Provost Corps, with MP on the front and stripe painted around the helmet that appears to have been partially obscured by a thin overspray of paint. I’ve not another helmet like this, and would love to hear your thoughts about it:

[tinlid]

Looks really nice.

[Mark K]

I am really pleased to be able to add this helmet to my collection as I have been on the hunt for a first production run example for many years..
Canadian 1940 dated Mk II as produced by the Canadian Motoramp Company ( C.L./C. ) steel lot batch code number 1 so one of the very first Mk II helmets manufactured by Canada at the beginning of the war..
As permission and licencing was not granted from Great Britain to produce the Mk II in Canada till late in 1939 and or early 1940 the official Procurement of Canadian versions of the British Mk II helmet was initiated on January 25,1940, and the first contracts being awarded on May 25 1940...
It shows some nice honest patina and wear to the inside and outside of the helmet body..
An interesting anomaly worth mentioning this particular 1940 dated C.L./C. Mk II has a very small C-/l\ stamped in the steel on the exterior of the helmet body right next to the helmet lug retaining rivet to date I have only seen four or five other early C.L./C. examples that bare this stamp and IMO this was only done for a very short period of time and possibly only on the original first contract order of the first 25.000 shells
All the examples I have seen that bare the small C-/l\ mark on the exterior of the shell are dated from 1940 and have very low steel lot batch numbers having another 1940 dated example steel lot batch 7 that is sporting the same stamp and a 1940 dated example steel lot batch 15 that does not.
The Canadian Motorlamp Company used consecutive numbers throughout their entire production run from 1940-1943 and as there is no documented information available on how the steel batch codes correlate to manufacturers dates and or production runs one can only speculate as to when exactly in 1940 helmets baring this particular stamp were produced .

Regards Mark

[Hallibag]

This is a WW1-era Mk.I Brodie that was pressed back into service in WW2 with the Ontario Voluntary Constabulary, an auxiliary police force under the Ontario Provincial Police. Members swore allegiance to the crown, to protect life and property “from every form of attack and sabotage, to combat subversive elements and to assist Air Raid Precaution organizations in their activities”. The helmet shell is stamped D/F 25, was repainted grey and had an OVC badge affixed to the front:

[Haltsign45]

Mk1* named to Major Hilton-Sergeant CBE CB, the helmet was rescued 40 years ago during a house demolition. I managed to trace the family through a family tree page, the family have let me have a copy of photo showing this helmet being worn in 1939 named strap showing in the picture.

[tinlid]

Brilliant.

[Haltsign45]

Thanks tinlid, been amazing the amount of info I have been able to find , even down to the name of the house it was found in picket wood house, and old survey map of where it was. Pulled down to make way for the M23. He has a few items with the imperial war museum. Also have copies of some war time correspondence. Nice to be able to put history with a helmet. It only my second helmet I have been able to do that with. I’ll post that one up later on.