south african mk II helmet

**jwp** · 08-23-2015, 07:05 PM

I picked up one of these this weekend , will get some pics up when the light improves (having a thunderstorm at mo !) it has a green textured finish, the three holes in the rim and a Jager Rand 1940 dated liner, would these helmets have also been issued to british troops ? the reason I ask is there is the service number 4751527 on the chin strap, from my research this is in a block allocated to the York and Lancaster regiment, the 1st battalion York and Lancaster's served in Sicily and the Italian campaign so maybe this ties in with the green finish of the helmet.
cheers,
John.

**ynot** · 08-24-2015, 06:46 AM

I came up with York & Lancs too John.

Have you seen this thread Mk2 Italy campaign There's another as well about green SA helmets, being green from the offset, changing to sand and then back to green.

Tony

**ynot** · 08-24-2015, 06:51 AM

Here's the other link Mk2 South African Union Defence Force.

Tony

**reneblacky** · 08-24-2015, 06:52 AM

could well have been issued to British soldiers, with all commonwealth armies it was a mix match going with supply and demand

**jwp** · 08-24-2015, 05:51 PM

many thanks all for your replies, here are some pics, sorry not great, the helmet is much more green than it appears in the pics, not sure if it has been brown and over painted or its the rust showing through, the service number is faint and has not shown up well,
cheers,
John.

**Redstalker** · 08-24-2015, 07:14 PM

That's a very nice lid

**jwp** · 08-24-2015, 10:23 PM

by Redstalker

That's a very nice lid

many thanks !

**Steelhead10** · 08-25-2015, 06:47 AM

A very nice helmet

and I have a picture in a book that shows British (SAS?) troops in South Africa with SA MKIIs hung up behind them and the South Africans painted them green for the Italian campaign as well.

Matt

**OldSteel** · 08-25-2015, 04:53 PM

Complete and very nice. I saw the helmets of the 6th S.A. Armoured Division, who fought in the Italian campaign,with this color.

congrats

Roberto

**jwp** · 08-25-2015, 07:42 PM

thanks for your replies both, I was hoping it may have a connection to the italian campaign, I bought it in my local antiques centre but the dealer was not there so was not able to get any details, I paid 40GBP so I don't know if that was an ok price or not !,
cheers, John.