Sure way of identifying Brodie helmet from Doughboy helmet?

[Jean-Loup]

I was given a brodie helmet yesterday that was saved from the garbage. Its rim is bear, and it has granulated kakhi paint. Can anyone remind me how to tell for sure wether it is US, or british? There are remanents of a piece of felt that would have been there to protect the top of the head from deformations in cse of an impact.
JL

[blinky]

Does it appear to have ever had a rim? If not, it's Commonwealth as all US helmets had the rim.
Also, does it have any stampings at all?

Eric

[Jean-Loup]

It must be commonwealth, as it is in nice shape (exept that the moths ate all the whole, thus the interior is there, but nothing holds it in place), and has clearly never had a rim.

Thanks for the info. The helmet was picked out of the trash last month, and given to me yesterday. To bad in the meantime the paint took a few hits.
JL

[Chris Boonzaier]

There was something about round rivetx holding the chin straps being US, split rives being Brit? (I think)

[blinky]

You're right Chris.
The US used many British Mk.I helmets during WWI while they were gearing up their own production of them. The rimless type was relatively rare and I've never seen one directly attributed to a US soldier.
On the other hand, the Australians used a rimless brodie during WWII but the liner was identical to the British Mk.II liner.

[Adam H]

That's interesting to know, Blinky...I have a shell, in appalling condition unfortunately, that is 1940 dated and is a rimless version, and very similar to the rimless WWI Canadian Brodie I have. I always wondered what its origins were. There is no liner so was never able to compare it to anything. It sounds like this may be one of those Aussie examples. I had always guessed that it was a re-stamped WWII re-issue or some kind of civilian pattern...

Cheers,

Adam

[Jean-Loup]

I also have some rimless Aussi WW2 helmets.

JL