"Mark V" helmet?

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by Chris C, Feb 3, 2019.

  1. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Hi all,

    I tried to chase down information about a reference in a Canadian war diary yesterday and came up somewhat empty so I thought I'd ask the question here. Talking about the Archer, they wrote "It was found that gun crews could not wear their helmets in the SP's owing to the broad brims" and later, "It is recommended that gun crews be issued the Mk V (American type) helmet". (Emphasis mine)

    The general thrust of the comment is clear - the recommendation is for a different helmet with a narrower brim. But exactly what helmet did the author have in mind?

    I am not sure whether the comment "American type" is supposed to mean that the Mk V is an American designation, or if Mk V is supposed to be a helmet which is like an American one.

    Yesterday I had a look at Tin Lids by Roger Lucy which is all about Canadian helmets. In general, Canadians followed the British pretty exactly, and this led to a bit of a flap - when British decided not to adopt the American helmet and instead go with the Mk III, Canadian HQ in the UK did not send note of this back for nearly a month, and it was thus too late to cancel an order of some 250,000 M-1 helmets. But from what I read these were not used in Europe.

    The only thing that seemed vaguely relevant in Tin Lids was "Helmet, Steel, No 5." which was a paratrooper helmet, also known as Helmet, Steel, Airborne Troops, Mk I. This seems like a bit of a stretch, though.

    This does not seem like the most likely explanation, though.

    The nasty suspicion I have is that the author made an error in writing Mk V. Maybe they meant a Mk III helmet... but then again, that was not an American helmet so that comment would be a different error.
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    What was the designation for the armoured corps helmet that was similar in shape to the para one. On phone at mo & bit fiddly to go off googling it.
     
  3. idler

    idler GeneralList

    I would think they meant the Mk III. As the units were R[C]A not R[C]AC it might have been too much of a challenge to source the tankies' helmet.
     
  4. ceolredmonger

    ceolredmonger Member

    A long shot is if it is late enough for it to be a typo of MkIV Helmet - designed in 1944 and possibly listed as available however debatable if any were issued in NWE before the end of the war. Essentially the MkIII with a detachable liner and relocated strap lugs.
     
  5. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    In this case the comment was made by a unit in Italy - sorry, I should have said! So probably not a IV.
     
  6. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    PS had another thought about this today. Does anyone know if British designations were given to American tanker helmets and what they were? e.g. those that might have been supplied with the M10.
     
  7. ceolredmonger

    ceolredmonger Member

    Re- thinking this, I am surprised that there was no number in the sequence for the un-brimmed shell used for the 'Helmet, Steel, Paratroop', 'Helmet, Steel, RAC' and 'Helmet, Steel, Dispatch Rider'. I suspect that this is what the Canadian ref. is to. In the RAC form this was used by M10 in NW Europe.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2020
    Chris C likes this.
  8. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Hi ceolredmonger,

    I'm afraid I don't follow you. Was the same steel helmet actually used for those three? I'm not sure what you mean by "RAC form".
     
  9. ceolredmonger

    ceolredmonger Member

    The shell was the same. It had different liners for each use. The Royal Armoured Corps pattern has an infantry style liner and strap. I'll find a clearer link (unfortunately I have singularly failed in any attemp to post photos on this board)
     
  10. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    Attached is a photo of the basic shell and a Parachutist Helmet.

    The hole in the top was where the press stud was for the basic liner.

    The Royal Navy and the Royal Marines also used the RAC type post war.

    Regards

    Danny

    basic  Merge.jpg
     
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  11. ceolredmonger

    ceolredmonger Member

  12. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Very interesting! Thank you!

    I've seen that photo of the Guardsman and his Churchill tank, being noteworthy both for being in colour and the fact that there is a camouflage scheme applied to the latter.

    I suppose the dispatch rider helmet would have had different straps with extra emphasis on not falling off at high speeds?
     

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