Canadian helmet?

[Jean-Loup]

I was recently given a helmet that has suposedly being hanging on the wall of a hotel in Brussels since may 8 1945. The hotel keeper gave it to me, because the hotel is closing. He said a drunken Canadian soldier left it in the hotel after the may 8 party...
I will describe the helmet. Can people confirm it is canadian, or if it english, or even post war belgian?
Markings: TTC 17 1942 7.
Paint: repainted with paint brush in sandy dark green paint.
Small screw holding in the inside.
The chinstrap is what I find akward. It is made of one long piece of material, with no springs or anything. When you tighten it, the excess length of chinstrap just hangs loosely. Very unmilitary... There are no markings visible on the chinstrap, the metal of the helmet, or the chinstrap holders.
Any comments??
Thanks
JL

[ROBB]

Does'nt sound good ,but a picture would help a lot ,Rob

[cicero]

Jean-Loup.

You description is imho from a Canadian helmet.

Look at my links,i have the same one.

http://gallery.cybertarp.com/albums/...553/helm01.jpg

http://gallery.cybertarp.com/albums/...553/helm02.jpg

http://gallery.cybertarp.com/albums/...553/helm03.jpg

Glenn.

[Jim McCauley]

I was recently given a helmet that has suposedly being hanging on the wall of a hotel in Brussels since may 8 1945. The hotel keeper gave it to me, because the hotel is closing. He said a drunken Canadian soldier left it in the hotel after the may 8 party...
I will describe the helmet. Can people confirm it is canadian, or if it english, or even post war belgian?
Markings: TTC 17 1942 7.
Paint: repainted with paint brush in sandy dark green paint.
Small screw holding in the inside.
The chinstrap is what I find akward. It is made of one long piece of material, with no springs or anything. When you tighten it, the excess length of chinstrap just hangs loosely. Very unmilitary... There are no markings visible on the chinstrap, the metal of the helmet, or the chinstrap holders.
Any comments??
Thanks
JL

Hello JL,

The markings you describe should be on the liner.

TTC stands for Teddy Toy Company, a British liner manufacturer. The chin strap sounds like a MkIII type that has lost it's elasticity. This would be correct for a late war MkII helmet. The small screw should have a domed head to be of British type. Also correct for late war. If it is more flat, it is the post war Belgian screw.

As for the shell, look closely near or on the chin strap mounting points. The manufacturer and year should be there somewhere. Sometimes if a helmet has several coats of paint it is very hard to read.

If the helmet shell is Belgian the makers mark will be on the outer rim of the helmet and will only be letters followed by numbers.

Hope this helps.

Best regards.

Jim

PS for Glenn. I think your lid is also British.(At least the liner and chin strap are.) Look for any markings on the steel shell and I will be able to tell you the country of origin.

[ROBB]

Glenn. looks like a nice combat helmet .It has a lot of character ,good find.I have never heard of that liner marking before .Thanks for the info Jim ,Rob.

[Jean-Loup]

Yes, Glenn, my helmet is the same as yours, exept repainted. (or is yours also repainted?). But it looks like it is english, not canadian, with the TTC marking.
Jim, I found a marking on the inside of the helmet rim: PMP, or BMB.
So I have a good wartime Brittish helmet then.
Thanks for the help guys.
JL

[cicero]

Thanks for the info guys.
At least we know now,that the helmets are British and not Canadian.
J-L,my helmet is also (period) repainted.

Glenn.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Jean-Loup, "BMB" = Briggs Motor Bodies.


Cheers, Ade.

[Jean-Loup]

Here is a description of the hotel:
"In a bohemian neighborhood, this hotel in an 1892 town house is perfect if you prefer atmosphere over comfort and has received favorable press and TV notices around the world. Most rooms are large but spartan, some being furnished with hospital beds and with plumbing from 80 years ago; the front rooms have small balconies. Breakfast is served in an Art Nouveau/Art Deco room eclectically decorated with a zebra skin brought from the Belgian Congo by the owner's great uncle, a Canadian World War II steel helmet, railway signal lamps, copper pots, and a Buddhist prayer wheel. Monks from the Dalai Lama's entourage once stayed here and left mystical symbols in one room. Alas, owner Paul Pauwels usually enforces a midnight curfew."

[cicero]

Sounds like a nice hotel.

Glenn.