Dutch helmet and Kepie (Fleamarket finds)

[Irish1965]

Hi everyone,

Got a nice bargain on a Dutch helmet and a Dutch officers kepie from ww2 on a local fleamarket. Can any one tell me something about these?
The helmet is stamped 38, I think it's a M34 model. It misses the front plate but this was not unusual. I understand that these were sometimes removed at the front out of fear that a bullet penetrated the messing plate easier with the plate. The paint is original and the liner almost mint.













Then the kepie. This is an officer kepie almost eaten by moths. It has blue piping. I'm not sure but I think that's military police. Maybe someone can give some input about this. There is a factory stamp but unreadable by me. All in all I got them pretty cheap.










Let me know what you think.

All my Dutch collectables together.



Cheers Paul

[Dos]

Nice finds! I've had some help from the member 'Emileverbunt' in the past about these helmets. I also thought i had an M34 helmet, but it turned out to be an M38. To distinguish these helmets you need to look at the arch and shape of the helmet. The liner and the positioning of the rivets can also tell a lot about the helmet. Post #6 and post #9 confirm it on my example in this thread linked below. Some interesting information is posted in this link!

Dutch M34 WW2 Helmet

I don't think it was due to bullet penetration that the emblems were sometimes removed, but more due to the reflections it caused with the sun shining down on it. Without the emblem the soldier was less easily spotted.

I can't tell you anything about the kepi.. I have a picture of my grandfather wearing one with his uniform, but never researched them myself.

-Dos

[emileverbunt]

Nice catch!

The helmet might be either a M33 or a M38R. In collectors circles the term "M34" is no longer used since a leading standard book (De Nederlandse stalen hem 1916-1992) has been published by Kevin de Joode and a study group, in 2019.

The M38R is easy to identify by looking at the left or right rear rivet hole in the leather ring. If there is first a rivet and next to it an extra hole you have an M38. This is a Romanian shell with a Dutch liner made to fit. In 1938/39 there was a severe shortage of helmets in the Dutch army, so the goverment requisitioned the helmets that were in production for the Romanian Kingdom. The Romanian helmet was almost identical but not quite.

The red stamp, CM 1938, signifies acceptance by the Central Warehouse (Centraal Magazijn). The 38P in the neck part, stands for Poldi (Czechoslovakia) the producer of this steel batch and the year 1938.

Actually tests indicated that the copper plate with the Dutch lion, provided additional protection, but this was not general knowledge at the time.

Let us know how the rivet holes in the leather ring are arranged!

About the kepi I know very little. Probably a Kepie Model 1928 with a (tin) cockade for enlisted men.

Cheers,
Emile