British helmet WW2

[martin guerre]

Hi guys please what do you think about this date on this British helmet ...1940 or 1942 ?
Thanks for help

[MARKH]

1

I vote for 1942,

[Gran Sasso]

As far as i know a 1940 dated helmet would show a raw edge?

[MARKH]

2

Australian made Brodie helmets were all raw edge, English manufacture had the folded edge.

[SMP]

Since the shell has the rough paint both inside and outside, the date is most likely to be 1942.

[Rogerd]

Since the shell has the rough paint both inside and outside, the date is most likely to be 1942.

I was thinking the same, If helmet and liner stayed together it should be 1942 if you look at the paint.

[Rogerd]

About the edge of British helmets:

WWI helmets had a raw edge.

The MKI who was made in the 30's had a magnetic iron rim.

The MKII who's manufacture started in 1938 had a non-magnetic rim. (BTW not folded edge like german helmets, but a seperate made rim)

The MKIII helmet had the same rim as the MKII.

[SMP]

About the edge of British helmets:

WWI helmets had a raw edge.

The MKI who was made in the 30's had a magnetic iron rim.

The MKII who's manufacture started in 1938 had a non-magnetic rim. (BTW not folded edge like german helmets, but a seperate made rim)

The MKIII helmet had the same rim as the MKII.

Not quite true.


Early WW1 Brodies had a raw edge, but from mid 1916 all new Brodies had a magnetic rim fitted. These were used right up to 1397 after which the shells were refitted with the new, screw-in MKI liners to create MKI* helmets. Since it was purely random which type of Brodie shell got used, you can find MKI*s with or without rims. It was these helmets that were used by the BEF in 1939-40


The all new MKIIs of 1938 had non-magnetic rims fitted from the factory. Some very late MKI*s also had non-magnetic rims fitted as part of their refurbishment at this time too. Those MKI*s with a magnetic rim had their shells marked with an "M" to show they were magnetic. MKI*s were quickly phased out once the production of MKIIs took off.


There was a short run of rimless MKIIs made by BMB in 1941, but that was an anomaly , and all these helmets appeared to go to the Fire service.


So from 1938 all British helmets ( including HSAT, HSDR, HSRAC) had rims

[Rogerd]

Hi, thanks for the info on the WW1 helmets and MKI, I did not know there were also MKI helmets without rim! I only saw them with rim. Good info!

I believed BEF troops also used MKII helmets, already in production in 1938?

[SMP]

I believed BEF troops also used MKII helmets, already in production in 1938?

They used some, but most of the BEF were pre-war regular army units plus territorial units. They all had their own MKI*s and carried on using them. There is evidence that most of the early batches of MKII helmets went to the Civil Defence units and AA units because they didn't have any helmets of their own. A lot of the new army units had MKIIs issued after Dunkirk for obvious reasons.

[Bond]

not that you asked, but I doubt that net is original to the helmet, from seeing the stacking mark.

[martin guerre]

not that you asked, but I doubt that net is original to the helmet, from seeing the stacking mark.

Was found like that i will never know !

[2 Black Bands]

“So from 1938 all British helmets ( including HSAT, HSDR, HSRAC) had rims”.....mmmmmm...CPHs had folded rims, separate rim pieces AND some were made rimless...and they were British Helmets.......but as this thread started about MkIIs I’ll forgive that one. :-)