ID of marking on WW1 Canadian helmet

[Jean-Loup]

Hello
I just got a nice dusty WW1 canadian helmet, my first one, for 0$. On the front there is a marking in white paint: MG, and apparently there are traces of another letter in front of the MG: maybe a C? So MG would of course be machine gun I suspect, but what about ?MG, or CMG... Any ideas?
JL

[Adam H]

Helmet

Salut Jean-Loup,

Photos would be helpful...but if it's possibly "CMGC" it could be Canadian Machine Gun Corps and that would be correct for WWI-era. Most identfiable helmets I have seen have coloured insignia, typically a rectangle surmounted by a circle or triangle, or smaller rectangle which denote the specific division and battalion. Though one does encounter others with lettering and different kinds of insignia.

How certain are you that the helmet is Canadian?

I wonder too if possibly it was used post-war by some kind of civil or para-military organization, as many WWI helmets were.

Cheers!

Adam

[Jean-Loup]

The helmet was given to my mother in Canada a few weeks ago, so I am almost sure its canadian. The helmet has remains of pretty thick sand/cement camo painted in green, so I dont think it was reused post war... It doesnt look very neat, but is usefull when in real combat.
There defenately is not any letter after the MG, so it cant be CMGC. Any other ideas of what ?MG or CMG could be?

JL

[Jean-Loup]

Did a Corps of Machine Guns ever existe???

[Ken MacLean]

C.m.g.c.

Hello Jean-Loup,

There was indeed a Canadian Machine Gun Corps. See attached page from a history of the Corps, The Canadian "Emma Gees" published in 1938. Strength overseas on 11 November 1918 was 8,777 Officers & ORs, 464 machine guns. A total of 16,315 served in CMGC overseas during the war, with 5,777 battle casualties.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb....ees/mg204.html

Here are some pictures taken at CWM of an "Autocar" used by the Canadian Motor Machine Gun Corps (CMMGC). Two-ton truck chassis, solid rubber tires, 22 h.p. engine, 5mm armour plate at front, twin Vickers M.G.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...mouredCar1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...mouredCar2.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...mouredCar3.jpg

[Jean-Loup]

Thanks for your answer. The thing is that the marking isnt CMGC, but CMG. You can see a picture of the helmet in post 2 here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...highlight=jean

I dont know if the guy making the stencil made a mistake of what, but I have been wondering about this helmet for a while...
JL

[byterock]

hard to tell from that shot Jean-Loup. MG on a tin hat on the front is odd. (nice target)
We will have to see some close up shots of the inside to see exactly what it is.

The stenciling look correct but is would be more common to have it on the side and much smaller.

any change for some closer picks this has got me stumped as well. Try on the Commonwealth forum.

[Jean-Loup]

I am away from home right now, so wont have the chance to post any better pics for several months.
There is not more interior, so not much to see in there...
There is no question about the helmets originality: it was given to me after a familly friend helped empty an attic in Starbuck, near Winnipeg. The marking at the front doesnt suprise me, I think it may be quite early war, or something.
To me, the marking is clearly CMG; or possibly OMG or GMG. C seems like the most logical...
JL

[byterock]

Starbuck!! That is funny home of the higest point in Manitoba (man made that is)

Been though that town about a 100000 times going to my Gradma's. Very small world eh!

[Jean-Loup]

You probably drove by the helmet 100000 times to then.