CANADIAN WW1 MK1 / US M1917 Helmets Help

[birkie]

Looking to add my first Canadian helmet to my collection but need some help.

I'm having a heck uva time finding a decent WW1 Canadian MK1 Brodie . Can anyone tell me why there seems to be an almost unlimited supply of US M1917's with insignia and almost no Canadian MK1's marked or unmarked?

Also, the MK1's are quite a bit more expensive than the M1917's.

Looking for some guidance, thanks lads.

[asterperious]

easy, they were turned in at war's end, scrap drives, attrition, re-use in WW 2 with later liners, relatively smaller numbers of troops vs. the Americans. Also 'Canadian' helmets would really only be unit marked, the 'canadian' type you desire is the British version. Whereas the american type was made in the USA. A good overview is the book 'Tin Lids' by Roger lucy available from Service Publications in Ottawa.

They are also very collectable ( i.e. expensive, $500.00 on upwards for a complete good condition div marked bona fide helmet) and there are a number of very focused and connected Canadian WW I collectors who sort of keep a closed loop.

Now, just to be a jerk here are mine, and none are for sale:

[relicz]

Early US helmets were British manufactured as well.

I wood-worked one locally, but they are few and far between here in the states. Seen another in an antique store quite a while back.

24th Btn Victorian Rifles (named - an ongoing research project)

[asterperious]

oh - John - lovely! I have a 24 Bn officers div patched jacket. What is the name in your helmet???

[relicz]

Thanks, you have a fantastic group. I would rather not type the name (name the name so to speak). I have an opinion as to what it is and have done some research and found a matching attestation paper.

But, as nothing is as absolutely clear as day and in the spirit of objectivity, take a look and tell me what you see. I very much appreciate another opinion.

The Canadian Archives are absolutely world class! I wish all nations were nearly as good.



Sorry for the delay, it took a little while to find the picture and its getting late here.

[canti44]

A. Hutton perhaps?

[lazer4856]

Great info and pics, find it interesting for myself.

[birkie]

Come on, you with all those great Canuck lids and me with none, doesn't seem fair. Really nice collection, thanks for showing and educating me on Cdn helmets. I'll keep searching local flea markets and antique stores. Cheers

[asterperious]

I stared with none too , the last 10 years have really seen CEF values skyrocket. I recall turning down a nice PPCLI shell at a gun show back in Edmonton in 1998, it didn't have a liner or strap, just the shell. It was $40.00, dumb dumb dumb. But they were fairly easy to turn up even then.

[birkie]

Hindsight is always 20/20, I have some regret having donated my grandfather's ww1 Brodie, bayonet, and colt45 to a local museum back in the 90's. All were used at ypres, the Somme and passchendaele. Unfortunately the museum has done a poor job of displaying and describing these pieces of Canadian war history.