Narva Battlefield Helmet Finds Soviet/ German Relics

**Kilroy Was Here** · 06-13-2009, 12:09 AM

Hi, postman dropped off a big box for me today. I hope all will enjoy some pictures. All items I was told by seller/digger, come from, and were dug the Narva area battlefields, Estonia. Sorry if this is the wrong section, and I will re-post if need be.

2 M40 German helmets, 1 with what appears to be, now that I look at it in person, a fairly thick coat of green paint with what looks like sand added to it. Camo sand paint?? The other M40 is a grey color, fieldgrau?
The green sand? helmet was a green color to begin with, there are spots of the original paint in the crown area, and it is very green looking to me. Apple green??

Also 1 SSh39 Soviet helmet with some nice paint left, which I do not think is common for relic Russian helmets. It has battle damage. There is an entrance, and exit hole, and also the helmet got hit very hard with shrapnel or something, causing a fairly large dent, and a stress crack. The Helmet seems much lighter than a SSh40 hemet for some reason. Maybe the steel, or thickness. I have never had SSh39 to examine before, so no expert.

Also some other items I purchased, a piece of a Maxim MG belt, a Stalingrad medal, 2 UZRG handles, S-mine adapters, grenade cap and pull bead. Also there is a Beer?? bottle, dated 44, given as a gift for buying all the other items. Very nice bottle. I used to drink a lot of beer, but not lately. My liver is mad at me.
If it is a beer bottle, does anyone know what brand and kind of beer it was?? pilsner, dark, light etc. Did this type of bottle have a metal flip off type of cap, like a modern type cap, or other?

These are great Items I think, and are my favorites now. I have always wanted a nice German & Russian helmet to display with my weapon and Ord. collection, and I found them.

I find now that I would MUCH rather have a couple helmets like these, that have never been touched since the war, and just found, than a mint example that has been floating around different collections & collectors for years. Helmets and articles like this talk to you, they have a story, and a history. They make you think.

It is great all the diggers and archeologists are finding these items to be preserved by collectors and historians.

Regards, Steve

**Kilroy Was Here** · 06-13-2009, 12:14 AM

More pics. Steve

**Nifartachi** · 06-13-2009, 12:17 AM

Hi Steve,

Congrats! I hope you will not restore, a.k.a. destroy, those helmets.

**Kilroy Was Here** · 06-13-2009, 12:22 AM

Hi thanks. I am not going to touch them. Just leave them as is and look at them, and enjoy.

Regards, Steve

More pics

**Paul D** · 06-13-2009, 11:17 AM

Nice and original items from Nikolay and Alex at Narva , one of the helmets is an M42.

These are genuine battlefield relics so you are wise to leave them as they are

regards

Paul

**Kilroy Was Here** · 06-13-2009, 06:48 PM

by Paul E

Nice and original items from Nikolay and Alex at Narva , one of the helmets is an M42.

These are genuine battlefield relics so you are wise to leave them as they are

regards

Paul

Hi Paul, yes you are correct. Not only is one an M42, they both are. My mistake, sorry.

Yes all from N & A. They do find some nice relics. Aleks and Dimas also get great stuff, and have got a few very nice Ostfront relics from them also.

It would be nice to visit Estonia and surrounding areas and do a little digging, and get some history lessons.

Regards, Steve

**Kilroy Was Here** · 06-13-2009, 07:13 PM

Hi, said I would touch any items, well I kind of wasn't telling the whole truth, and want to be honest. I DID touch one item. If that makes collectors out there upset, I am sorry.

The medal in the pics above I posted, the Stalingrad medal is missing it rings, and are 2 separate pieces. I found a couple small rings from some old key rings/ key fobs around my garage, cut them to the correct size, aged them a bit. Then I used just a small dab of clear quick set epoxy to attach the small ring to the medal. Carefully re attached the top ring, and they are now joined.

I hope, and do not think the soldier who lost it 65+ years ago would be upset, maybe even happy I fixed it. Nothing was altered, and epoxy can removed with an exacto knife.

I know it is different than found, but it looks better for display, and they will not become separated somehow, unless the epoxy breaks, which it will, if messed with to hard.

What are the opinions of this repair. I would like to know other collectors feelings, good, or bad.

Regards, Steve

**3mk** · 06-13-2009, 07:24 PM

Looks nice to me Steve i wish i knew how to do that soo i can attach my Great Grandfathers 20 years service medal to a ribbon

**Kilroy Was Here** · 06-13-2009, 08:27 PM

by 3mk

Looks nice to me Steve i wish i knew how to do that soo i can attach my Great Grandfathers 20 years service medal to a ribbon

Hello 3mk, thanks, I think looks OK also. I explained how I did it in my post?? Just find something with some old rings, or you can even find the right brass or steel, even copper and make some rings, then clear epoxy. I age the rings a bit by holding them in a open flame for a bit till right looking. It all took about 1/2 hour.

Regards, Steve

**LUCKYSTRIKE** · 06-13-2009, 08:47 PM

The beer bottle is a crown cap, the same type of closure that is still used today. The bottle could have contained any of the beers you mentioned. Mass production of glass mean't the same bottle type could be used by many different breweries for their wares.
I love the helmets, I totally agree on your sentaments, battlefield relics tell a thousand stories. Thats why most of my collection is made up of in my wifes words 'Rust and Dust'!!.
All the best.
LUCKYSTRIKE