Some room for a Shinyo Crash Helmet

[Nick Komiya]

Some Room for the Shinyo Crash Helmet Theory?

A lot of military research I do becomes like CSI work. Here is some statistics that may be construed to support the existence of a Shinyo bullet proof crash helmet.

Surrendered inventory below hints at a 20 or 40 member unit, depending on how you distribute the pistols and rifles, but the number of steel helmets is a staggering 80 pcs, which allows each member a Type 2 helmet and another, assuming a crew of 40. This number does lend some credibility to the Shinyo helmet myth.

At least they had more helmets than they usually deserved.

[Jareth]

The above article with illustration is post war I assume. Could the surrendered helmet inventory be standard type 90 helmets? I read the numbers but....the “suicide boat” theory still exists!

[Nick Komiya]

Mystery Explained

The list above was a byproduct of some navy helmet research I was doing, which I thought people would be interested to see. However, now that I had some time to do some followup research on the Shinyo papers, I have to reverse my statement to say that each member only had one helmet, no extras that initially hinted at the existence of a crash helmet.

What had happened was that the 102 Shinyo unit was based in Danshui, Taiwan along with its sister unit 105 in Magong in Penghu County, and all helmets for both units happened to get recorded in the 102 list and none in the 105 list. Otherwise the contents of the 105 weapons inventory were similar to the 102 list, suggesting a unit of 40 men. So 80 helmets for 80 men leaves nothing unaccounted for. The listing for food supplies to be surrendered was made out as a joint listing of 105 and 102 units and it appears 102 located near Taipei served as the main depot, whereas the 105 was located out on a remote island.

[Alan M]

This article has been added to Nick's Master index , found in the "sticky" list at the top of the forum , Thanks for the input Nick . .