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My mother in law found an old helmet today. I know it's a WWI helmet, but not much else. Anyone know what the symbol painted in the front represents?
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...uqlw3wzm-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...vmbt0tfk-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...eaiav5o0-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ft65ursj-1.jpg
Could it be from a specialist anti-balloon section. The badge looks like an observation balloon on fire to me
I don't think that it's WW1 because it's got the extra "safety edge/lip" to the rim but is more likely to be inter war or WW2. The WW1 helmets that I've seen have only a raw edge to the rim.
I think it is civilian for use during war time or civil defense as WW1 type military helmets have the "donut" in the center for the straps and more bales on the helmetAttachment 76352Attachment 76353
photo show civilian helmet
I think it's a Brodie anyway, not a Kelly. That means UK issue not U.S. As for the badge, I haven't see it but maybe as Peter suggests it might be worth investigating UK badges.
It is the service type of helmet but here in the U.K., during WW2, Fire*, Police and some Civil Defence workers were issued with the service type helmet. Other Civil Defence workers were issued with what I call the civilian type helmet which was a cheaper/lighter steel helmet. There may be some of the centre part of the liner missing.
*Some of the National Fire Service and Auxiliary Fire Service helmets were fitted with a leather veil or pelmet on the rear part of the rim. This was to help stop hot sparks etc going down the back of the neck and to give the neck some protection. Steel helmets that have 3 holes in the back half of the rim normally indicate that it had Fire service use.
Thanks for the all the replies, gentlemen! I posted this up on Gunboards, as well, and a member was able to provide this:
Original U.S. WWI M1917 Doughboy Helmet- 104th Infantry Regiment Yankee Division with Textured Paint ima-usa.com
I don't know if the information contained in the listing is correct or not, but at least I have a lot more information than I previously did to try to give her some details.
The emblem almost looks the same, hand painted as it is it may be.
There is sometimes a date stamped on the underside of the rim but it can be a job to find/see it and I don't think that it is always present. I would be very interested to know the exact date that the "safety edge" to the rim came in because although I don't know the exact date I don't think that it was until after WW1 had ended but I stand to be corrected on this. This "safety edge", as I call it, is a separate piece of metal formed into a "U" section and then attached to the rim. As I've already stated the WW1 helmets which I recall seeing have been without this "safety edge" and have just a raw edge. Is anyone able to give us a date when the change to the rim edge happened, please?
The British MkI helmet - introduced in 1916 - had a steel rim:Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying10uk
Mk.I - The Brodie Helmet and its derivatives
Here's the very similar US M1917 helmet:
M1917 - The Brodie Helmet and its derivatives