3rd pattern(SAS marked para helmet)?

[Greg B]

Hi Guys,
Looking for your thoughts/oppinions on this recent ebay purchase. I was pleased to find on aquiring this 3rd pattern para helmet that the liner was infact stamped SAS 58 and then hand written over the 58.. 7 3/8ths. with the name painted in the inside rim RA Williams 'A' SDN. There is also another name close by the BMB markings that has been scribbled over.

On that information alone is there anyway I could find more info on Mr Williams and if he was the owner wartime or post war.

Greg

[Greg B]

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Interia

[Greg B]

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a

[Greg B]

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[Greg B]

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[max7474]

Greg,

That would be RA Williams A Sqn - as Williams is a common name then that would be hard without a rank - the sqn could be 7 Para RHA so you might be able to go back through their records but without a date then it could be a long task. These helmets remianed in use for a considerable time post war so it could be a whole host of units. I would not be so sure that the SAS stamp is referring to Hereford unit to be honest.

Alan

[Greg B]

Thanks Allan, I thought it would be a long shot and yes I wondered if the RA might of stood for a type of unit. I kinda felt because the helmet hasn't been postwar painted and doesn't show to much ware and tare in the interia I thought that it might not of had to much postwar activity??..who knows! but thanks very much for your help.

Greg

[DJT]

Greg,

I agree with Alan, that crude SAS stamp has more chance standing for Smith & Sons than it does for Special Air Service. Whatever it is, my feeling is certainly post war added and then you have to ask yourself why? As I said the stamping is crude, the imprint of each letter is not uniform and each letter is also slightly out of line which suggests to me that each letter was stamped individually. That indicates a done in the garden shed job to me. Some writing on the liner has been crossed out, can you read what that says? Might just be another owners details. These helmets were reissued to death post war.

[Adrian Stevenson]

I would agree Des. I reckon the "SAS" could just be someone's initials. Also I don't know of how the "58" would relate to the Regt. This could just be his last two digits to his serial number.

Still a good helmet though.

Cheers, Ade.

[lnijherald]

each letter was stamped individually.

I agree, it looks like the "S" are actually upside down.

I'm puzzled by the "squadron" mark, I mean how many airborne units were organised in squadrons? Only the GPR comes to mind.

Cheers, Luc

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Luc, sorry your post has just reminded me of something I should have added earlier:

6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment

They had an "A" Sqd

Cheers, Ade.

[lnijherald]

You're quite right, as usual.

Meanwhile I found both AB divisions had RE parachute squadrons as well.

Cheers, Luc

[Greg B]

Thanks all for your thoughts, I thought the SAS stampings was a bit of an anomaly my self but then thought the 58 after the SAS might of stood for the year 1958 . However the handwritten size no's over the 58 make it appear as just a size marking. Each of the letters are individually stamped so the s's very well could be upside down.

Everything else about the helmet has just an untouched feel, straight out from the Uk and from someone with no previous millitary sales to his feedback.

Thanks Ade, thats narrows things down a bit

Cheers Greg