British mk2 snow camo?

[Jerry B]

currently on ebay

[shaune]

Wow brilliant stuff as always, thank you. Those photographs are fantastic. Yes, i have decided to re list as i have been looking at this for a few days now, and as giberville rightly says, the evidence is a bit thin. And they could stand out like a sore thumb on a deifferenct day! If anybody is interested tho please let me know...
Thanks again, every day is a school day!

[tinlid]

Not seen a single picture in a book or on the net, with white painted helmets. They just had white winter suits with unpainted helmets.
Possibly an armoured crew member with access to paint for camouflaging, or other vehicles. White distemper which was the paint of the day, would have been available but would easily wash off after a time.
But we live in hope a picture will turn up.

[tinlid]

Getting a bit closer, Medic, plus snow caught up in netted helmets.

[giberville]

The last picture is interesting. Not seen that one. Theatre? Are they Canadians? The medic with the Red Cross on the leather jerkin is something I've not seen before.
Agree with Tinlid above...not seen any evidence of whitewashed helmets. For the German soldier on the Russian Front where it was snow cover for months, yes, but for British troops where snow came and went fairly quickly in NWE and on mountains in Italy...no.

[tinlid]

Sorry, no details for the picture.

[OsiusGaming]

I have also been curious as to whether or not there were any snow-camo Mk2 helmets but have never seen any good period photos of one. But today, I wonder if I have found one.
This is a photo of an English Soldier's grave in Norway. The photo was apparently taken on May 17, 1940.


Here is the photo but zoomed in on the helmet. Sadly, the only other photos of this grave are from the opposite angle, not really showing much of the helmet in any more detail.


To me, it looks like a white camo that is being washed away from the weather. Any other ideas? Here's the link to the site I found the photo on. If you are interested in anything Norway related, it's amazing.
GRAV M/ENGELSK SOLDAT. SE FOREG. FOTO MED TEKST. -


Nordlandsmuseet /

DigitaltMuseum

[Mark K]

In regards to the image below the soldier is a stretcher barer and it was taken in Groningen Netherlands in 1945..

[bken]

Hey,

A bit late to be replying, but here is a picture that clearly shows the use of white paint. The fourth man from right is wearing a snow camouflage helmet, while his buddies all seem to, well, not be wearing a snow camouflaged helmet.
Mind you the allied forces were unprepared for winter combat (Operation Market Garden had raised hopes of ending the war sooner), supplies and therefore paint was rather scarce given a shortage of fuel, not to mention the conditions in which one had to paint and dry a helmet!
That said the use of white paint was more widespread in the US army, albeit still very uncommon as well.

[Watchdog]

here is a picture that clearly shows the use of white paint. The fourth man from right is wearing a snow camouflage helmet, while his buddies all seem to, well, not be wearing a snow camouflaged helmet.

I know it is hard to discern but I really don't think that is a white painted helmet. Rather it is probably muddy as they would mostly be to some extent but the light reflecting off this one is making it look even paler in shade.
I have enlarged the image as far as possible without blurring it but that only reinforces the impression.
As stated above British/Commonwealth troops almost exclusively operated in areas where snow came and went quite rapidly.

What is worse than a dark helmet against a white background? Simple, a white helmet against a dark(er) background. As far as I know, unlike in the desert where the prevailing background colours of the landscape did not vary too much, there was never a practice of painting helmets white but white fabric, usually homemade covers were used.
Even in Norway in 1940 the situation is similar because the Expeditionary Force was simply not there long enough for such a practice to become standard.

However, just to add fuel to the fire, didn't the UK send some MkII helmets to the Soviet Union? They may have been likely painted white and worn without a liner to accommodate the Ushanka fur cap.
Just a thought.

Regards

Mark