Latest lid

[Bil4338]

Here's the latest piece of steel folks, an eBay auction I never expected to win...but very glad I did!

 

[Bil4338]

Has anyone ever seen a chocolate brown South African helmet? Cos I haven't.got a Brit liner and later chinstrap, but look what else is on it...

8th (Helston) battalion, Cornwall Home Guard, hand painted insignia.

[Bil4338]

TTC 6&3/4 1940 liner (Teddy Toy Company), Mk.III chinstrap, bolt and washer à la civil defence localised improvisation!

very happy with this one....

[Norrie]

Really nice looking helmet, saw it myself... are the holes to show it was'nt a combat helmet??

 

Cant wait to get my US purchase helmet home now....got the chin strap waiting here for it...:)

[Guest Fred Karno's Army]

That's a nice lid mate .

[Bil4338]

45 minutes ago, Norrie said:

Really nice looking helmet, saw it myself... are the holes to show it was'nt a combat helmet??

No, the holes were intended for attaching a havelock, but these were either never or rarely issued, think I've only ever seen one photo of one in use.only South African-made helmets have this feature.this helmets been around a bit judging by the British liner, late pattern chinstrap and Home Guard insignia.if only it could talk, think it'd be pretty interesting!

[DAK D]

Hi @Bil4338,

That's a super Cornwall Batt Home Guard South African made MK ii. I have not seen one painted in Chocolate brown before and it's a shame your camera makes it look green to my eyes?

I have seen a few of these with replaced liners, but on the plus side it's not a Vero one

Here's an interesting link to a site about Tommy Helmets for anyone that wants to learn more!

http://josephs-militaria-and-homefront-collection.co.uk/PAGE27.HTML

D

[Bil4338]

Hi, it's definitely a chocolate brown colour, seen it in natural light, maybe it's different on your monitor/screen.

and yep, usually they ARE Vero liners for some reason...or BMB occasionally.

[Norrie]

17 hours ago, Bil4338 said:

No, the holes were intended for attaching a havelock, but these were either never or rarely issued, think I've only ever seen one photo of one in use.only South African-made helmets have this feature.this helmets been around a bit judging by the British liner, late pattern chinstrap and Home Guard insignia.if only it could talk, think it'd be pretty interesting!

Ahhh, nice one..thanks....seen a couple with havelocks for sale on the bay, but at a price too... well done..:)

[Mark K]

A lovely find @Bil4338 and I think I can answer your question on the brown painted helmet body they are uncommon but not unheard of there was an enquiry made a few years ago on the 2 of November of 2010  to the curator of accoutrements at the The South African National War Museum in Johannesburg South Africa... There have been similar queries in the past regarding South African manufactured steel helmets and you will find a reply from the curator to your query posted below as well as a couple of images of my example for comparison... 

The helmets were sent for painting to Messrs. Herbert Evans & Co. (Pty) Ltd. Helmets were first painted in the standard UDF green, then a darker UDF green and later in a desert sand or those helmets destined for troops in the Italian campaign, in a brown. Jager Rand (Pty) Limited manufactured and fitted the head linings and made delivery of the completed helmets to War Supplies.

Regards Mark

[Bil4338]

Brilliant! Thanks for that great info Mark.personally, I'd never seen or heard of a brown SA lid, green yes, got a couple, plus the usual sand.one of the appealing aspects of collecting is that you never know what you'll find next!