WW1 officer helmet ?

[WhiteFeather]

Hi everyone,

What do you think about this helmet ?









Thanks

[ROBB]

A nice unvoided economy WW1 badge and a private purchase helmet . I have not seen one like this before , I am thinking beginning of WW2 Home Guard private purchase from Army and Navy and the officer added his WW1 cap badge , possibly ? Rob

[WhiteFeather]

Hi,

Thanks for your answer ROBB.

What is an unvoided badge ?
On what do you think it's a WW2 issue ?

The shell type is known but I don't know this liner type...

Have a nice day.

[peter monahan]

"Unvoided" means the badge has no cut-outs in it, as the cap badges do.

In that condition it must be either unissued or a reproduction/refurbished with a new liner. If it went to an officer who added his WWI badge, I'd expect at least a few scratches in the paint and creases in the leather. This looks brand new!

[Bond]

The liner is very similar to private purchase officers pith helmet liners from the 1920's and I know you could buy private purchase officers liners for Tommy helmets, though the form of the helmet itself is not something I remember seeing before, but I have no problems with the condition as it might hardly ever have been worn if it is interwars or maybe WWII for a 2nd line or possibly Home guard officer.

Jerry

[peter monahan]

Jerry

I have no problem with it as a Second War helmet, but the title of the post was "World War I Officer's Helmet?", to which I think the clear answer is 'No, not WWI."

[WhiteFeather]

Thanks all for your help.

I think I'll buy this helmet so.

[JamesT]

I'm not a helmet expert but i always thought that the string threaded through holes like this one was an indication that it was for civilian use only - ARP, fire service etc and not for active service. The shells of these are much lighter and thinner than the service equivalents. Or amI quite wrong?

WW2 that has been tarted up IMO. If period then Home Guard is my guess. Many detachments were mostly WW1 vets so it may have been common practice to add the badges of their WW1 units. Or perhaps this was an RE detachment and the only badges available were old GvR

Interesting none the less