British paratroop training "bungee" helmet.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, here is another item from my British Airborne collection. This is the protective rubber padded helmet worn by British & Commonwealth Paratroopers in training. They were also worn by SOE agents on jumps into occupied Europe.
Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Side view. Note that these helmets come in more than one style. There are ones with two eyelets to the ear sections. Also beware, these are now reproduced! The fakes do not smell of old rubber. Some have even been made from old officers bed rolls and so the materials have genuine age. I had taken photos of the makers label. But these are incorrect on the fakes, so I feel it might not be wise to publish these and possibly help the fakers?
Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Interior. I have censored the makers label.

[DJT]

Very nice Ade. I`m hoping to find a good one at Beltring this year

Regards,

Des

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, Here is an original unpublished photo of the bungee helmet in wear. The chap in the photo is RAF Parachute jump instructor. His name is Albert Tudor. He was a PTI originally and was a keen gymnast pre war. Parachuting was a great sport to him He completed 97 jumps before the RAF prevented him from doing any more. They were worried that he would have an accident as he was concidered too valueable to risk! He was transfered to India in early 1945 to help train the 44th Indian A/B Div. and this is where this photo was taken, hence the KD uniform.
Cheers, Ade.

[DJT]

Ade,

Forgot to ask you in last post but can you email me a close up of the maker tag? Thanks

Des

[Tony Farrell]

And I noticed recently during the Kashmir crisis, that some Indian Sikh paras were still wearing them! What use they'd be apart from jumping is open to question.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Des, I have sent you a pic of the helmet label.

Hi Tony, I wish I had seen that picture I often wonder what "goodies" are still around in India & Pakistan. A friend of mine, (who is a member of our living history group) has an ex Indian Army WW2 U.S. 75mm Pack howitzer in his collection.

Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Here is an original un -published photo from my collection showing the helmet in wear, once again by 44th Indian Airborne Div.

Note all the kit the soldier is jumping with
Cheers, Ade.

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Hi Ade,

That is a very nice example of the "bungee" helmet

I still need to get one of these. I must do soon because I have wanted one for ages

Thanks from Jack.

PS Does the label have a date?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Jack, the label does indeed have a date, 1942. I will send you an email with a pic of the label. As I mentioned, the fakes are incorrect and I am not going to help the con artists by providing them with a pic of a real one

Sad thing about this item is that it was most likely owned by a lady SOE agent. Two were brought to my late friends shop in Nottingham by the relatives after she died; one was camo painted, , which I missed out on and this was the other. Mike never bothered to ask any details sadly to him it was just another walk in buy.

Cheers, Ade.

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Thanks for the photo.

You'll see me at the next fair with a batch bungee helemets. (Only kidding - it will be kept to myself).

Do you know the years of production?

I missed one a couple of years back - I imagine they are very hard to find now .

A camo one *gulp*...ah well, at least you got this one! It was a shame Mike did not ask any details at the time of purchase - it would have been a nice story to go with it. Are the family of Mike Long keeping his name as the business name as a mark of respect or are they changing it?

Thanks from Jack.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Jack, I do not have the years of production, sorry


Did you see the RAF blue/grey bungey helmet that Chris James had/has? It has a bullion RAF PJI badge to the front. He wanted £230 for it.

I think Mike's wife will retain his name to the business.

Cheers, Ade.

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Hi Ade,

No I didn't see the one he had. Sounds very nice though.

I'll have to check it out when I next see him if he still has it.

No wait, hold on, I did see it, I remember now. But I didn't really have a close inspection of it. Money must have been tight...as it always is

I remember it looking pretty cool to me.

Thanks from Jack.

[cw2311]

Excellent stuff! Thanks for the pictures!

Cheers