What made this hole in my helmet?

**Styx** · 12-30-2011, 08:48 PM

I recently bought this helmet shell from a man who obtained it in Ukraine after a farmer gave it to him for doing some work, so it's probably from the German forces in Russia - but I simply can't work out what would have made this hole in the helmet. Is it a deflected bullet? Shrapnel damage? Any clarification would be very useful. Thanks!

Robbie

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 12-30-2011 08:48 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**James C** · 12-30-2011, 08:50 PM

maybe damaged before escavation by a digging tool or pick spike

**Styx** · 12-30-2011, 08:53 PM

The idea crossed my mind too - but it looked a little corroded around the hole itself, the condition of the paint seems too good for it the helmet to have actually been underground for any length of time (although I'm not sure how these things preserve) and furthermore, the amount of force you'd have to put behind the fork would be pretty impressive! I really don't know though, it's a bit of a mystery to me.

Robbie

**Adrian** · 12-30-2011, 08:54 PM

The edges of the hole aren't new so I doubt it was made by the person digging it up. I would say it is potentially a bullet or shrapnel hole as you say.

**Styx** · 12-30-2011, 09:41 PM

I'm glad it's not thought to be a digging tool, that'd quite ruin some of its interest aspect to me; and if it's a bullet it's a really weirdly shaped one and at a strange angle! I was trying to work out the circumstance in which a piece of shrapnel or bullet could hit a soldier almost from above with enough force to tear through his helmet, but it's a mystery. Thanks for the help everyone!

Robbie

**Wagriff** · 12-30-2011, 09:50 PM

A Tumbling heavy machine gun bullet? Just a guess. William

**Styx** · 12-30-2011, 09:52 PM

Ooh, really? That sounds interesting. What makes you think it's that?

Robbie

**Wagriff** · 12-30-2011, 10:07 PM

It's slightly pointed on the one side,so it appears the bullet slammed into it sideways. William

**talltom** · 12-30-2011, 10:12 PM

maybe the soldat was lying on the ground (dead/wounded) and a bullet struck it (if that makes sense)

**Wagriff** · 12-30-2011, 10:19 PM

It could be virtually any number of scenarios, I suppose. He could have been riding on or walking next to a Panzer and had a ricochet bounce off it into his helmet-maybe he was in a town and had it bing off a building or water pipe...who can say? William