Landing Force helmet with white stripe

[Striking 9th]

What do you think of this liner? Think it's fake?

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=769331

I agree with Russ. Perfect naval liner.

[GeneralCheese]

Is it possible to see a close up of the anchor? IMO, this helmet is legit until proven otherwise.

As soon as it arrives yes. I agree with your statement, which is how I tend to buy my helmets. Unless I have proof that something is fake it's worth it to assume it's real. Just recently on the USMF they confirmed a third manufacturer of M1 shells... People had previously thought they were junk Euroclones!

[Jareth]

I can't recall ever seeing multi piece liner pad in a navy helmet. Only in army helmets. When in hand check reverse of liner pads for ink stamps. If so then it's an army liner

[Striking 9th]

The shell looks right for a stencil. The keeper looks like it is green with white thread. The rings look like they are the fat single ring welded type. Stencil looks legit but strange that it looks to be painted over white. The pic is terrible but the liner looks like navy style leather. It seems like I remember seeing one here with one pad being this pieced together type. The other two being the normal type. I can't really remember though. I could not find a thread with one like that pictured. At any rate if this is a pieced together navy it is highly unusual. The painted stripe is highly suspect imo. When you get it take better pics and post them. I am always willing to admit I am wrong. It would be neat to see a new variant pop up.
P.S. I still like the kanji character. The strokes look correct.

[RussellM]

Posting this image for Jareth, showing the white stripe was for Army Officer in charge. I'm sure he will add further comment when time permits.

Regards

Russ

[GHP]

Need lots more photos but I'm suspicious. Painted interior kanji doesn't look legit. Liner looks strange as well

Kanji are authentic.

１ー司

Dunno what it means .... "Office/Official - 1" ???

司 - office (government department beneath a bureau under the ritsuryo system)


It also can mean official.

--Guy

[Jareth]

Like to hear Nick's opinion on kanji. Perhaps it was copied off something else? ARMY photo above which appears to show a combat situation. When I started to research my helmet a group of fellow collectors speculated white stripe indicated officer in charge/ leading officer

[Nick Komiya]

The Kanji is no problem. I am aware of the collector theory that the leading officer sometimes marked their helmets. This did happen with paratroopers, but the point was visualization of follow-me-leadership, so the mark was only visible to soldiers to his rear. I am not aware of any case in a combat situation where officers wore "shoot-me" markings on the front to aide enemy snipers. Of course they would have done that in training and field maneuvers, as Hachimaki headbands are still today, from cradle to rocking chair, the standard method in sports meets to indicate red and white teams.

[Nick Komiya]

The war-time police did often seem to use that design

[Nick Komiya]

When one assumes that a white band around the helmet was a socially established and recognized symbol of police authority, another possibility that pops up is the Special Naval Police units that were set up towards the end of the war. It is almost common knowledge that Army MPs also had jurisdiction over navy personnel and that there were no navy MPs. At least that was true for the beginning of the war, but with the increase in navy personnel and the fact that certain occupied territories were under navy rule, like the former Dutch East Indies, the army MPs could no longer effectively keep watch on criminal acts within the navy. Thus from 1942, the local commander could assign naval personnel to MP duty in those areas. The only ID item documented is an armband that said 特警 in red on a white background, similar to the army Kempei, but a navy helmet with a white police band is not a far-fetched possibility. Although fairly obscure as a presence, they tended to get attention in post war war crime trials due to their repressive role, as order police to foreign populations. One accusation often made in this connection is their alleged involvement in recruiting local women for the military bordellos, but in truth, any pimp role they played was minor. Still, as a description, a "Naval pimp" helmet may be much more closer to the truth than a Landing Force Helmet would ever be. Here they are leaving for patrol duty.

[Jareth]

Thanks for your imput. So you feel confident the kanji was done by a Japanese hand but no idea as to context being on the helmet. Had hoped you would of additionally commented on the posted period photo. Perhaps it's field training ? Either way, I know of at least two other standard type 90 helmets with white stripes so then their police? Other countries have also used white stripes around their helmets. A German WW2 police helmet comes to mind. Reconsidering the source & price of the subject helmet I now feel it's got a great chance of being legit. Still lots of questions. Exciting to see an unrecorded navy liner variation if it pans out that way.

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

Interesting helmet! Please post better pictures when you get it in hand. Thanks for sharing.

David.

[Striking 9th]

After seeing the auction link I am feeling better about this helmet. Please post better pics when you get it.

[GeneralCheese]

Got it today, surprisingly. Here are some pics taken from my phone at 7pm... Needless to say they aren't the best but hopefully are good enough. Also, I didn't lift the liner pad, nor will I ever. The leather is pretty stiff.

[GeneralCheese]