Sharing here what I understand to be a somewhat scarce and quite hard to find helmet. While acquired in Canada, I believe it is essentially a British item. I understand it to be a vintage, WWII British Dispatch Riders helmet of a type known as HCDR (Helmet, Crash, Despatch Riders) - the Economy Pattern made from a mixture of hard rubber and pressed fibre compound as manufactured by the Empire Rubber Company. It retains the complete liner and chinstrap rig. I am told that such helmets were sold to and used by the Canadian military, but this example does not have the well-known "C-broad arrow" marking to confirm that possibility for this particular helmet.
The interior sweatband has the maker name and size stamped into the leather: EMPIRE 7-1/2 PAT. APP. FOR
The underside of the sweatband is ink-stamped: P W (broad arrow) D 38
If the "38" refers to 1938, then this was pre-war production.
Unusual is the fact that the top of the helmet has been painted white with an egg-shaped yellow portion at the centre containing a number, letter or otherwise illegible symbol in green. The only explanation and purpose that comes to my mind is that perhaps the white portion could have been for aerial identification as a motorcycle dispatch rider, although the configuration at the centre of the white portion would certainly not be identifiable from any distance. That may simply have been for identification by the owner when hanging on a rack.
I will be grateful for any comments and feedback to correct or add to what I have learned to date about this helmet.
John
The interior sweatband has the maker name and size stamped into the leather: EMPIRE 7-1/2 PAT. APP. FOR
The underside of the sweatband is ink-stamped: P W (broad arrow) D 38
If the "38" refers to 1938, then this was pre-war production.
Unusual is the fact that the top of the helmet has been painted white with an egg-shaped yellow portion at the centre containing a number, letter or otherwise illegible symbol in green. The only explanation and purpose that comes to my mind is that perhaps the white portion could have been for aerial identification as a motorcycle dispatch rider, although the configuration at the centre of the white portion would certainly not be identifiable from any distance. That may simply have been for identification by the owner when hanging on a rack.
I will be grateful for any comments and feedback to correct or add to what I have learned to date about this helmet.
John
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