MkII Canadian Sand Textured Helmet

[birkie]

Merry Christmas everyone,

I wanted to share my last aquisition of 2016, a Mkll, Sand Textured, Canadian 'G.S.W.' General Steel Wear Co. helmet, dated 1942, with a size 7 1/8 liner maker marked 'V.S.M.' for Viceroy Manufacturing Company dated 1942, named to L-466126 Henry Martin Hicke, Bayard Saskatchewan, HQ Coy. Mark, thanks for your guidance and help on this one. It was appreciated.

The service number suggests Henry was likely with a reserve unit located in Military District 12, Saskatchewan. I believe Mr. Hicke passed away in November, 1998 and is buried in Spring Valley Saskatchewan. He may have remained in Canada for the duration of the war but won't know for sure until full access to service records is available.

Happy New Year,

KD

[OldSteel]

Congrats birkie!
nice to know the history of the owner and also nice helmet, the type of sand coverage I really like.

Happy New Year to you too
Roberto

[SMP]

Great looking helmet. Love the rough outer paint !

[Mark K]

Nice example Keith I would be happy to have this helmet in my collection...

Regards Mark

[FALLSCHIRMJAGER]

A fine MKII with a nice history that gives it that all important extra appeal. Leon.

[JohnF]

nice helmet, I must say I can't recall seeing many with a rough textured finish, not Canadian made helmets anyway

[Mark K]

Hi John you are correct Canadian WW II examples sporting a textured finish are far and few in between I have two example in my collection and only recall seeing a few others floating around I am of the opinion that after the Canadian Army started to under go its restructuring in late 1952 early 1953 that all the Mk II helmets that were being used by the armed forces and that were stored away in supply depots would have fallen under the post war paint brush as it were..
And would in some cases have there finish removed and re-painted in either a semi gloss and or Gloss OD green as per regulation of the time I know of a few flashed and textured examples that were over painted and or were stripped to the bare metal post war and repainted ...
The two examples below are still sporting there original war time applied textured paint...

Regards Mark

[wizardman]

Hi John you are correct Canadian WW II examples sporting a textured finish are far and few in between I have two example in my collection and only recall seeing a few others floating around I am of the opinion that after the Canadian Army started to under go its restructuring in late 1952 early 1953 that all the Mk II helmets that were being used by the armed forces and that were stored away in supply depots would have fallen under the post war paint brush as it were..
And would in some cases have there finish removed and re-painted in either a semi gloss and or Gloss OD green as per regulation of the time I know of a few flashed and textured examples that were over painted and or were stripped to the bare metal post war and repainted ...
The two examples below are still sporting there original war time applied textured paint...

Regards Mark

Thats interesting to know Mark...its hard to find an Australian one without sand texture

[Mark K]

The only Australian examples that come to mind that have not been textured are ones that would have been used by the CD network and or Police as I can not honestly say I have seen a military issued example that does not have a sand textured finish here is one of my Aussie examples for comparison...

Regards Mark

[birkie]

Hi John you are correct Canadian WW II examples sporting a textured finish are far and few in between I have two example in my collection and only recall seeing a few others floating around I am of the opinion that after the Canadian Army started to under go its restructuring in late 1952 early 1953 that all the Mk II helmets that were being used by the armed forces and that were stored away in supply depots would have fallen under the post war paint brush as it were..
And would in some cases have there finish removed and re-painted in either a semi gloss and or Gloss OD green as per regulation of the time I know of a few flashed and textured examples that were over painted and or were stripped to the bare metal post war and repainted ...
The two examples below are still sporting there original war time applied textured paint...

Regards Mark

Mark, your Winnipeg Grenadiers helmet is a real stunner. I think I recall you had actually spoken to original soldier who wore it and had surrendered to the Japanese in Hong Kong. Aside from the soldiers war time experiences did you ever get the story on the history of the helmet paint and texture application?