1st birthday present

[BEAR]

My family knows my interest in collecting military equipment and so they surprised me for my birthday. Since Washington State has put the Kabosh on any more collecting of semi-auto surplus weapons, I have switched my focus to Paratrooper helmets. Here's my 1st present...a US military freefall leather helmet. Very similar to the one I used in 1978 except mine had three snap fasteners on either side to fit the older style oxygen mask. I was somewhat surprised to see a manufacture date of 1991. I thought the military flushed the leather helmet in the 80s. The goggles shown are the goggles I used in HALO school.....better peripheral vision than those bulky black framed googles they issued.

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[BEAR]

This was my second present. A postwar Canadian Paratrooper helmet dated 1956. Very little wear. Interesting that it had a sticker with "Made in Canada". Almost as though it was being sent overseas for foreign forces.

[Flying10uk]

Interesting that it had a sticker with "Made in Canada".

Interesting to me because the liner has the marking "CCL" which until now I hadn't been able to identify as British or British Commonwealth origin. I've got 2X MK2 steel helmets, both WW2 dated but both with post WW2 liners and both liners marked "CCL". I suspected that they might be Canadian but neither liner has any marking to indicate this. Reasonable now to assume that the liners are Canadian after seeing the above.

[Surpmil]

Hadn't thought about it before, but the foam liner of the para helmet must have made blows to the head much less unpleasant than when wearing the standard helmet; especially blows from fast moving bits of metal.

[Flying10uk]

I've found "CCL 2" identified as a British wartime maker of helmet liners, Christy & Co Ltd, London. Does anyone know if there was also a post WW2 Canadian manufacturer of helmet liners using the same abbreviation, "CCL" or is the above helmet, post 2, in fact, a British para helmet mis identified as Canadian? Notice that the chinstrap broad arrow marking has no C surrounding it which would indicate Canadian acceptance. Before anyone points it out, I realise that the liner has a sticker applied to it stating "made in Canada".

British WW2 Brodie Helmet Maker Stamps - Helmets and Headgear - Treasure Bunker Forum

[BEAR]

I did some research and CCL stands for Charles Collet Limited, London. So now I am beginning to think maybe I have a British post war helmet. Anyone could have put the Made in Canada sticker on the liner.
NO sweat, either or suits me.

[BEAR]

Well, now I am confused. I have accepted the fact that helmet is a post war British paratrooper helmet because of the CCL stamped on the liner and chin strap and the stand-alone Broad arrow. What I don't know is what CCL stands for! Flying10uk and some other sources state it stands for Christie & Co, LTD, but different sources say it is Charles Collet. LTD.
Does anyone have any definitive proof either way.
TIA

[Flying10uk]

What I don't know is what CCL stands for! Flying10uk and some other sources state it stands for Christie & Co, LTD, but different sources say it is Charles Collet. LTD.

Both could be correct because, notice, there is also a "2" in the abbreviation that I found, i.e. "C C L 2". Obviously the "2" means something and something that it could mean is to differentiate between 2 manufacturers with the same initials. Like you suggest what we need is someone who is able to confirm the meaning of "CCL" (2).

[BEAR]

Both could be correct because, notice, there is also a "2" in the abbreviation that I found, i.e. "C C L 2". Obviously the "2" means something and something that it could mean is to differentiate between 2 manufacturers with the same initials. Like you suggest what we need is someone who is able to confirm the meaning of "CCL" (2).

Very good possibility