Mid 1980's General service helmet
Just to share a British helmet that's been on my wants list for a wee while allthough in very salty condition but i do like them salty ,this is a fairly early example dated like Jerry's example 1985 and just perfect for my Ongoing Operation Granby display ,this example has had a comfort pad added by the wearer and not unlike the type found on the late 1970's Vehicle Crewman helmets
Hi James,
I do applaud the effort you put into your displays. I don't suppose they all remain at the same time? That would need quite some space.
The "comfort pad" issue in the Mk VI is a phenomenon that all collectors should be aware of because it is something that was done in many different ways. The problem was that the drawstring in the MkVI actually made the thing not just uncomfortable but often painful causing bad headaches as it dug into the scalp.
Individual soldiers all "tailored" their own lids to personal preference (not everyone could get hold of a "doughnut" from an AFV helmet). The individual methods are just that and therefore are manifold but a common solution was to use the standard First Field Dressing as a rudimentary cushion employing the bandages to attach the pad. It didn't cause a sweaty head as did some of the plastic materials used.
Also as an aside although the MkVI was manufactured only in green it was common to paint them sand colour. I was with 7 Armd Bde at the time of the First Gulf (op Granby) and masses of sand coloured NATO paint was issued to units themselves not just workshop spray units as many of the vehicles were hand painted at unit level as was much other equipment including helmets.
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Mark many thanks for your kind and informative comments as always and i find your time in service during Op Granby very interesting to read
As you have guessed i simply just don't have the space living in a small abode so i have to rotate my displays on one mannequin as and when a piece of kit comes onto the surplus market ,the OD PLCE webbing is slowly comming together but surprising how thin on the ground it is.Thanks for the info regarding the materials used for additional comfort and using a FFD makes perfect sense
I am sure now you mention the desert paint as thinking back i do recall seeing a few example painted up in this way and it would be nice to find such an example ,can i ask was it an economic method of blending into the environment when kit was still in the supply chain perhaps and i also noticed during my research a mixture of DPM and Desert DPM kit was in use
Regards, James
Guys....'interesting exchange -thank you. I have to say I've never seen a sand (yellow) painted Mk6.....and I've seen a great deal. Looks like I need to see a lot more!
Thanks Ade for dropping by and yes i couldn't agree more on trying to track down a genuine period applied example
Hi James, yes there was DPM kit used but I don't think it was anywhere near as much as press photographs tend to suggest. There only needs to be a few pictures (most of which were taken in the Force Maintenance Area or FMA aka "the rear", which lends explanation in itself) and it appears that there was loads of it!by James C
As for the painting of helmets being an ecomonical measure I would say not as in the circumstances economy was not an issue at ground level. It was more likely thought expeditious partly because it was more effective from a camouflage point of view than a DPM cover (except in a night vision scenario) but also because the military mindset dictates that a green helmet against a beige/sand background is just plain wrong for much more than camouflage reasons!
Points to note regarding the rarity of sand painted MkVI lids; 1. Sand is very abrasive and unless painted correctly in a workshop environment with surface prep and pimimg etc (these were done by individual toms with any old brush) there is no way that paint meant for mostly metal kit was going to stick for long on a plastic (that's what it is essentially) surface. Plus the subsequent use of a desert DPM cover caused abrasion too.
2. Many helmets were in such bad order after a spell in "The Sandpit" that they were replaced post op.
3. Those that were not replaced were mostly over painted with NATO green which did involve a good measure of scrubbing first which tended to remove most of the beige paint already worn pretty thin by the sandy conditions.
Put all this together with the ratio of desert used lids (by no means all were painted) to the total number issued and the rarity of sand painted lids is no surprise. Collectors might baulk at this but if you want one you can easily get authentic paint and any old brush. Bash it around in a bag of dry sand and who could ever tell the difference(joking, or am I?)
Sand coloured MkVI do turn up but sand coloured AFV crew lids are much more common because they were almost universally painted due to there being no cover for them (at least I have never seen one!)
I hope this is helpful.
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
That's interesting stuff (again!) - thank you. I have a sand-yellow Crew helmet and often wondered why/how/what etc. The explanation re painted Mk6s makes sense too.....so perhaps we've all got one or two...we just don't know it!
Very Helpfull indeed Mark so thanking you kindly for your valuble insight
today i just about managed after work that is to grab a few shots minus the cover but the light was fading fast so not the best pictures and as you can see the rear rubber rivit horns have removed / cut flush to the shell and also the upper blind visor rivits and lower bolts are both missing
There is also a gum mark remnant of some sort across the front of the shell but hard to tell what it denoted
Almost certainly this was a piece of the world famous "Black nasty" (issue masking tape which is a lot more like Duck tape) with a name and blood group written in yellow chinagraph. This way of marking was / is used on NBC suits as well.
The cut down rubber grommets were probably done in a perceived attempt to reduce wear from the inside of a cover. Nonsense really and not a good idea because cutting the rubber away will severely weaken the grip of the grommet and can cause the liner to come out of the helmet. Replacement grommets are just not available at unit level. I know, I tried to get some and although they are in the stores catalogue as are all the helmet components you cannot demand them unless you have a role in refurbishment and repair which is pretty much nobody in the field army!
The empty un-blanked holes are almost as certainly due to a visor having been fitted (used by top cover sentries in vehicles) then removed. I would say there is virtually zero chance of the original fittings being retained for when the visor was detached. It would just not happen
Regards
Mark
PS I should say that the new un-applied grommet comes to a long thin point which allows it to be pulled through the locating hole by stretching it, reducing the diameter allowing it to pass through the hole then expand again when the force is released thus holding the liner firmly by the grommet being under tension. The surplus is then nipped off leaving the short flat stub we know and love! As anybody who has ever removed these will be aware, it is virtually impossible to get them back in without the long end to pull on. The only way without a great deal of effort which is like to end in a failure of the grommet is to use a new un-cut item.
Last edited by Watchdog; 12-13-2017 at 08:59 PM. Reason: PS
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Oh for a supply of those bloody grommets!!!!!
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