Thoughts on this Mk II flashed to the 49th Polar Bears
Article about: I was watching this Mk II on E-Bay for the last week out of curiosity it is a 1943 dated C.L./C.and the helmet looks to have been scoured down and the decal on the side does not impress me i
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Hi Mark, it certainly does appear that the "flash" has been applied on top of a cleaned area. I am not fully conversant with all the types of flash used but it does look more like a sticker than a decal, though perhaps these were used, I would certainly never say never. If all original the price is pretty good, though if pimped then someone has wasted a lot of dosh.
Regards,
Jerry
Whatever
its just an opinion.
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Hi Jerry if originally period applied I believe it to be a 1 off and very probably not standard issued helmet decal at all as I can find 0 to compare it to this is not of course to say it is not so as I really enjoy hunting for those odd type of 1 of a kind helmets I am just not convinced by this example here is an interesting read from the British Commonwealth Badge Forum concerning the Regiment.
Z Force patches - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum
Regards Mark
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I was thinking more of 49th west riding division rather than Z force Mark.
Regards,
Jerry
Whatever
its just an opinion.
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Thanks Jerry the reason I attributed it to the Z force instead of the 49th was do to the fact it was applied of course on a Canadian Mk II now stranger things have been known to happen and it of course would not be the first time that kit was shared and or passed around by Commonwealth soldiers or lost in a friendly game of craps perhaps.
Hi John thank you for your input I myself do not like it but thought I would ask for a few other opinions as I am always striving to learn.
Regards Mark
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I know it was very common for British troops to be issued Canadian BD uniforms, though if the same applies to helmets is not known to me. Perhaps Z force is more likely for a Canadian used helmet and therefore very rare I assume.
I doubt which ever unit used it, the wearing of decals in the combat was probably not normally done and these tend to be more commonly seen, certainly with British forces as a home front affectation either early war or post war, or for the home guard units associated with their county regiments seems to be the most common use of such lids.
Regards,
Jerry
Whatever
its just an opinion.
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Mark,
I agree with your scepticism. I guess conceivably it could have belonged to a CANLOAN officer attached to the British 49th Division, but such CANLOAN helmets as I have encountered have been British not Canadian. As you note the surface seem sanded under the decal, which itself look awfully pristine.
Roger
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Thank you for your thoughts and opinions Jerry and Roger I am naturally skeptical about flashed helmets but this particular example just did not sit right I very seldom ask for opinions but IMO this one warranted a different set of eyes as there could very well have been a cross over do to the flash I was on the fence as to the helmets possible use by either Z force and or W 49th Div.
Regards Mark
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Hi Mark a bit late in on this one but in my opinion it stands 0% chance of being a period flash. I would apply the same criteria to MKII flashed helmets as German, and that is that a decal would never be period applied over a pre-cleaned area. Decals maybe found over the top of other decals, or under an over paint or even painted around but not like this in my opinion. A pimped up piece that has taken some poor sod in! Leon.
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