mkII (&mkI or earlier) Helmets Steel, British & Commonwealth, show yours

**M.E.E.** · 08-12-2017, 11:22 PM

Here is a recent helmet I picked up locally. J.S.S 1940 marked helmet, VMC 1942 C marked. The cross shock absorber looks to have broken down and been removed at some point. The interesting thing is the 2 holes at the front that probably was a badge, unfortunately the person I bought it from new nothing of the previous owner so I doubt I will be able to track down what unit this was. I don't normally take out liners but since this one is missing the cross I decided to take it out and take good pictures front and back of the holes.

mkII (&mkI or earlier) Helmets Steel, British & Commonwealth, show yours

**JohnF** · 08-13-2017, 12:06 AM

interesting it has a Canadian liner and chinstrap by the looks of it, too bad the badge is missing off the front, or whatever was there

**Composite** · 08-31-2017, 02:19 PM

Some of you will be aware of my fondness for "ghost" markings...this one caught my eye as having something underneath and a bit of buffing with a damp cloth and hey presto! Yellow "WARDEN" on a smooth khaki shell and then black slapped on top and a rudimentary "W" and white line added...probably Industrial ARP although there's gotta be a small chance of post war........

For those of you who get off on the boring stuff...the shell's by Whoever, the liner's by Them and the strap's glistening diamonte with sterling silver clasps.......'quite rare I understand....

**Composite** · 09-06-2017, 08:30 AM

....so, what do we make of this one?

I've seen enough weird ones to suspect that somewhere, sometime, someone might've used this "in anger" ........ but of course it could just be a toy......

Looking at the crown, the red's been applied over a heavily chipped undercoat. Paint is old.

...well, it makes a change from khaki!

**JohnF** · 09-16-2017, 05:16 PM

Composite, you'd hate it over here, even the ARP lids are khaki !

**Composite** · 09-16-2017, 05:23 PM

Unbelievable condition....but oh, how dull! :-)

**Composite** · 10-13-2017, 05:37 PM

Now this is what you call a real Home Fronter.....'was being sold as Chemical Department Officer (actually Civil Defence Officer) but the interesting thing here (to me and 2 others at least!) is that whilst it's a two striper now I think it was originally a 2 Incher (all these are technical official terms of course!)....one can make out the underlying single wide stripe where the outer edges of the two stripes have now worn...and this would explain the discolouration of the middle white section........another interesting fact is that whilst fingernails may APPEAR to grow after death they actually don't, it's simply the tightening of the surrounding skin.......hello!...is anyone there?!

**SMP** · 10-13-2017, 07:11 PM

Well I for one was watching the CDO helmet. I was hoping you, or perhaps Mr "Lid" would buy it and tell me what it really was. It is the first one I've ever seen. Congrats, and thank you for the info !

**tinlid** · 10-13-2017, 07:20 PM

Paint scheme would be 1941/42? CDO seems to suggest control centre's or higher maybe.

**Composite** · 10-13-2017, 07:33 PM

.....I've not seen one of these before (in 35 years) which I guess kinda makes it quite rare in itself. I think these guys were a step on from the old ARPOs so, if so, Mr Lid may be right. If it WAS once a 2 incher we know that one went out in July '42 (officially) so that may have been the reason to over-paint (one would expect a role change too though) although the guy may simply have been upgraded beforehand......

.....but what do I know.........

I'm looking for a net for it as we speak. :-)