Hi , was given this forum link from the guys at the Great War Forum , looking for any help on this lid , hope the images are clear enough , looks like "I" over 1939 there is also a "17"? stamped just to the left of the date , is the apple green paint post war ? the only thing I can say regarding green if it is a re paint it was done a long time ago ! any info greatly appreciated . P.S. looking forward to being part of your community , I collect ww1/2 British and German .
Hi and welcome to the forum Will, good luck with your research. Look forward to your posts. Looks like 1 over 1078.?
Thanks Lotus! , looking forward to learning and sharing , my main focus are s84/98 ii and iii German bayonets , I have years of collecting and research on these if I can be of any help to anyone , Regards , Will.
The shell looks to me to be a normal 1939 dated Mk2. These early wartime shells usually seem to have a '1' above the date and I'm not clear on the reason. The Mk1 was the WW1 helmet (many of which were modified for WW2 use). The '17' probably relates to the steel batch. They were required to be traceable and manufacturers used a variety of alpha / numeric codes. There should be a manufacturer's code somewhere but it's always possible with markings close to the chin strap lug such as this one that they have been covered. The small head liner screw is later than 1939 and indeed the lining itself probably is, unless it is one of the early 'BMB' manufactured ones - There will be a manufacturer code and date on one of the liner cross-straps. Colour (and indeed rough finish) are not original for 1939 and suggest post-war vehicle colour to me. This is the stamping on my 1939 tin hat :- 'WD' is not 'War Department' but William Dobson Ltd. 'HFC' is probably the batch code My liner was made by Helmets Ltd but I'm struggling to photograph it clearly.
Heres a link to Critical Past showing American manufacture of `Brodie` helmets http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675048436_military-helmets_assembling-helmets_dipping-into-paint-tanks_wooden-crates and an extensive debate on treasure bunker giving Manufacturers of both Helmets and liners British,Commonwealth,American and other http://www.treasurebunker.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1514 Kyle
Thanks everyone . Rich , this is my other Brodie , I always believed it to be WW1 modified for WW2 ? Regards
We are talking about variants of the British Helmet Mk.I and II. Can we stop calling them 'Brodies'!!
Well said!.... that's been an irritation to me for quite some time! They weren't even called 'Brodies' in WW1. More of a post-war collectors term really
Ceolredmonger , Thank you for your reply , I now have done sufficient research to understand your frustration in the terminology I have used to described the items I have in my possession ! It happens across the entire spectrum of collecting , I personally don't get frustrated when dealing with guys who are clearly starting to get an interest in another avenue , we all start somewhere ! CRS thank you also for you thoughts ! not sure what to make of them ? are you a pre war collector? Regards Will.
No, I'm not THAT old!!! :biggrin: Actually, not really a collector anymore (priced out) other than the odd bits and pieces, but used to spend practically every spare penny that I had on militaria and books.... anything that covered the 1870's through to the 1960's really, but specialised in WW1 and 2.
Forgive my ignorance but never heard (or used) the term Brodie before. Always used the words "Tin hat" or helmet. Ron
It's more of a modern 'collectors' term, Ron, rather than anything. Referring to the WW1 Mk.1 Steel Helmet, it was never really used until relatively recently (the name comes from John Brodie who patented(?) the War Office Pattern Steel Helmet (from which the Mk.1 was developed) in 1915)
Rich The funny part is that whilst serving in my Ack Ack mob I spent most of my time in the wireless truck and therefore didn't wear a tin 'at and later on, in action with the 4th Queen's Own Hussars, the 'at interfered with one's headphones and therefore was again rarely worn By contrast, as an Air Raid Warden, before I was called up, we wore them all the time. Ron .
