leon21

Extra info and images added 26.06.19.

Just give it a wash with a bit of soapy water using a cloth to remove any loose rust and dirt.

Here's a short video of a American 1917 helmet.https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ww1+american+1917+helmets&refig=30682b291e2940f29f10189109e5cb43&httpsmsn=1&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dww1%20american%201917%20helmets%26refig%3d30682b291e2940f29f10189109e5cb43%26httpsmsn%3d1%26FORM%3dVDVVXX&view=detail&mmscn=vwrc&mid=1E45495504E5A1F982BE1E45495504E5A1F982BE&FORM=WRVORC

That's a nice looking postcard Paul.

It's an unknown manufacturer mark you have found, could you take a photo of the mark for me please.

Here's a Copy of W.H.Beck Medal card, interesting what's written in the correspondence section.

A nice set of medals , pity the British war medal is missing for F.W.Ditzel.

Here is my wartime RFA badge, the crown has been bent back to fit the cap better a common practise during WW1.

Here is plate 40 from the book Military Badge Collecting by John Gaylor third Edition published 1983. Row B from left to right George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth II badges for the Royal Horse Artillery. The first two in w/m believed to have been worn in the foreign-service helmet and were produced under regimental arrangements. In 1948 an official George VI pattern appeared in brass and also in w/m as did its Elizabeth II successor in 1954, these last two were worn in the beret. Yes the Territorial Warwickshire and the West Riding RHA had their own badge, as did the First Hampshire RGA Volunteers the Third Middlesex RGA Volunteers and the Fifth London RFA Brigade.

Here are two badges I have. 1st - A Territorial Warwickshire Royal Horse Artillery brass with 3 lugs/loops fitting. 2nd - A Honourable Artillery Company brass with slider fitting. And a page of other Volunteers and Territorials badges all have the basic gun design.

Strengthening was applied to the rear of a wartime Royal Artillery cap badge according to regulations (1917 ) see image below.

Here is a WW2 ( Irish Emergency Period ) edition of An Cosantoir dated 11 October 1941. Images from other source.

The colour is fine looks to be the factory green finish, you can buy second hand original liners on line as long as it is for the MkII helmet. Or there are new reproduction liners also on line for sale. I would leave the chin strap that is original, it's up to you what you want to do with the helmet shell, it would have had an original BMB liner dated the same as the shell, but I've seen BMB helmets with other maker liners in them, so it would not matter if you were to put an other makers liner in it as long as it's the same date as the shell.

Welcome to the forum Gijs, yes the helmet shell is British made by Briggs Motor Bodies of Dagenham the R48 is the batch number of steel used to make the shell. The chin strap is the later MKIII chin strap and started to be used around this time. Below is an example of a Dutch post war stamp mark, they did not have any makers marks on the inside of the helmet shells.

I've seen them worn on the lapel by veterans the badge was very small about the size of an old shilling coin . Here's HMS 266 and her crew, images from other sources.