leon21 Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 Here's a list of known makers of British WW1/WW2 helmets and Liner Markings. British Steel Suppliers of WW1 British Helmets. V = Vickers Ltd of Sheffield.......................1916 - 1917. MS= Miris Steel Co Ltd of London..............1916 - 1917. ( also produced helmets after Aug 1916 ). also used "MLS" marks. FS= Thomas Firth & Sons Ltd of Sheffield............1916 - 1918. ( also used "F" mark and most likely used "FKS" marks ).. O = Samuel Osborne & Co Ltd of Sheffield........1916 - 1918. A = Edgar Allen & Co Ltd of Sheffield ......1916 - 1918. M = J & J Maxfield & Sons Ltd Sheffield.1916 - 1918. B = Bury's & Co Ltd of Sheffield................1916 - 1918. BS= W.Beardmore & Co Ltd of Glasgow....1915 - 1919. HS= Hadfield Ltd of Sheffield......................1916 - 1919. Known Makers of WW1 British Helmets. D = James Dixon & Sons Ltd of Sheffield .............. 1915. V = W & E Viener Ltd of Sheffield.................. 1915. ( possibly used EV mark ). M = J&J Maxfield & Sons Ltd of Sheffield .......1915. ( possibly used "M&S" mark ). H = Hutton & Sons Ltd of Sheffield................. 1915. HH = Harrison Bros & Howson Ltd of Sheffield. 1915.. R = John Round & Sons Ltd of Sheffield. 1916. Other Makers not part of the Sheffield Munitions Committee Groups. Army & Navy Co-operative Society Sept 1915 to Jan 1916 ( Not Marked ). Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd Oct 1915 to Oct 1916 ( No Marks Except Steel Suppliers Mark ). Bleriot Ltd May 1916 to Oct 1916 ( No Marks Except Steel Suppliers Mark ). Known Makers of WW2 British Helmets. AMC = Austin Motor Co Ltd Cowley. 1941. BMB = Briggs Motor Bodies Ltd of Dagenham. 1939 - 1945. BS = William Beardmore Steel Co of Glasgow. F & L= Fisher & Ludlow Ltd of Birmingham. 1939 - 1942. WD = William Dodson & Sons of Birmingham. 1938 - 1941 ( possibly also used "WDS" marks ). Helmets Ltd = Helmets Ltd of Wheathampstead. RO & CO = Rubery Owen & Co Ltd of Leeds. 1939 - 1943 ( Spelled as RO.CO or RO & CO ). JSS = Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd Bilston . 1938 - 1941. Cs. = Clydesdale Stamping Co Ltd. Dudley. 1939 - 1940. ( used a letter S within a letter C mark ). HBH = Harrison Bros & Howson. Sheffield. 1938 - 1943. EC & CO = E Camelinat & Co Ltd Birmingham. 1939 - 1944. ( also used just EC mark ). SO = Samual Osborne & Co Ltd. Sheffield. SC = Steel Ceillings Ltd. Hayes. 1939 - 1940 EB = Eveson Bros of Worchester. 1939 - 1943 ( possibly also used "EBW" marks ). PPM = Patent Pulp Manufacturing Co Ltd Thetford. ( Tank Crew and Motorcycle Dispatch Helmets ). Known Makers of British Helmet Liners. BMB 1 = Briggs Motor Bodies Ltd of Dagenham.........1939 - 1945. BH & G = Barrow Hepburn & Gale Ltd. London...........1939 - 1940. FFL 2 = Fisher. Foil. Ltd.............................................1941 - 1945 Helmets Ltd 1 = Helmets Ltd of Wheathampstead.......1937 - 1943. Vero 2 = Everett.W.Vero & Co London.........................1937 - 1944. TTC 1 = Teddy Toy Co Ltd. Dagenham.......................1939 - 1943. also used TTC 2 mark. FFC 2 = ?. SNL 2 = S.E.Norris Ltd. Dagenham. ( also "N" Ltd 2 ).1940. JCS&W= J. Crompton Sons & Webb Ltd. London........1938 - 1943. CCL 2 = Christy & Co Ltd London................................1940 - 1945. LWL = Lane & Whittaker Ltd..........................................1940 G.& S = Gimson & Slater of Nottingham........................1943 F&L 1 = Fisher & Ludlow Ltd Birmingham.....................1939 - 1942 AG = A.Garstin & Co Ltd. LPC = ?..........................1941 PPM = Patent Pulp Manufacturing Co Ltd Thetford. J&AJB 2 = ?...................1941 E & R = ?.......................1941 W&LC= ?......................1941 F.H = Failsworth Hats Ltd Oldham. H & S = ?......................1941 Commonwealth Helmet & Liner Makers. Known Makers of Canadian WW2 Helmets. CL/C = Canadian Motor Lamp Co. of Windsor.............1940 - 1943 AG/C = Aluminium Goods Co. of Toronto....................1942 exclusively GSW = General Steel Wares. of Toronto.....................1940 - 1942 Known Makers of Canadian WW2 Liners. Baskstay Standard Co of Ontario. ( Also made chinstraps ). Viceroy Manufacturing Co of Toronto. ( C/Arrow 144 ) and VMC )...1940 - 1945 Scully Manufacturing Co of Montreal. Known Makers of Australian WW2 Helmets. CS. = Commonwealth Steel Co (Australia ). Waratah ( NSW ). John Heine & Son Ltd Sydney. Known Makers of Australian WW2 Liners. Dunlop. = Dunlop Rubber Co Ltd Sydney. ( Aust & NZ ) 1940 - 1945 Known Makers of South African WW2 Helmets. TSP = Transvaal Steel Pressing Syndicate Ltd Johnnesburg. Known Makers of South African WW2 Liners. Jager Rand.& ( mark- Broad Arrow inside Letter "U" )...1940 - 1942 Known Makers of New Zealand WW2 Helmets. NPZ marked commonly referred as made by New Zealand Pressings, but helmet shells imported from Australia made by CS and assembled by General Motors Petone Wellington.The helmet lugs were made by Precision Engineering Co they supplied only 40,000 to General Motors and had stamped them ( nPz 1941 ) this was the only consignment ever made by this firm. The liners were made by Dunlop Rubber Co Ltd. This list is on going if you know of any more please let us know. 3 Quote
leon21 Posted March 29, 2014 Author Posted March 29, 2014 Here's a few images of British WW2 liner maker marks. 2 Quote
leon21 Posted April 1, 2014 Author Posted April 1, 2014 Here are some images of WW1 helmet stamp marks. First example is HV. 318. typical markings were the designation of Manufacturer followed by designation of steel supplier followed by batch lot number of steel used. So HV.318. = W.Hutton & Sons.( Manufacturer ) ( Vickers Ltd.( Steel Supplier ) and Steel Batch 318 ). next we have HS.255. = Hafield Ltd. ( both Manufacturer and Steel Supplier ) and Steel Batch 255 ). next we have FKS.8. = Thomas Firth & Sons Ltd.( both Manufacturer and Steel Supplier ) and Steel Batch 8). next we have MLS.29 = Miris Steel Co Ltd ( both Manufacturer and Steel Supplier) and Steel Batch 29 ). 2 Quote
leon21 Posted April 7, 2014 Author Posted April 7, 2014 Here's a MKI* Brodie helmet I have used by the Police force, shell marked ( G 31 BMB 1939 ). In 1939 BMB Ltd overhauled its design to cheapen and simplify the construction of the MKI Liner, they removed the big oval crown pad and replaced it with a solid piece of X shaped rubber. This was attached using the Liner attachment bolt rather than the 4 separate rivets of the MKI Liner, they also replaced the folded sorbo rubber pads with solid moulded rubber buffer pads these just slotted into holes in the fibre crown strips, rather than having to be riveted on like the MKI Liner. The War Office approved this new efficient Liner design on 21st June 1939 with production starting immediately in BMB Ltd. It wasn't until early 1940 that this new Liner production took off outsde BMB. 2 Quote
leon21 Posted June 5, 2014 Author Posted June 5, 2014 Here's 3 examples of the M1917 heat marks. And 3 examples of M1917 liner stamp marks. And here are examples of the M1917A1 Kelly helmet heat marks. 3 Quote
leon21 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Posted August 25, 2014 Private Purchase Helmets ( Non Metal Type ) After the fall of Dunkirk steel helmets were scarce and priority of steel helmets went to the Government and armed services. So some manufacturers started making the Non-Metal type that could be bought privately. Here are 3 examples. Pic 1. A Bakelite/Plastic helmet made by Plasfort. Pic 2 A Fiber/Cardboard helmet called the Cromwell Protector made by the firm Cromwell. Pic 3 A Leather helmet also made by Cromwell. All 3 types were used mainly in Ammunition Factory's and had a leather or rubberised chinstraps, some Officers in the Home Guard used the Bakelite helmets. 2 Quote
leon21 Posted December 29, 2014 Author Posted December 29, 2014 Here are examples of the 3-hole and 4-hole Brodies. The MK2 Brodie Helmet with 3-hole triangle on brim indicating it was made of mild steel and not fit for combat use, was only for Civil or Home Front Services, but was still stronger than the 4-hole version and civilian Zuckerman helmets. The MK2 Brodie 4-hole version was made of the lowest grade mild steel and again to be used by Home Front Services. Pic 1 of the 3-hole triangle version. Pic 2/3 of a 4-hole version used by a First Aid Post worker. 2 Quote
leon21 Posted December 31, 2014 Author Posted December 31, 2014 Here is an example of the South African Brodie type helmet with 3-holes, ( not to be confused with the British 3-hole Brodie ). In WW2 South Africa began production of its own helmets, based on the British MKII with a copy of the early MKI liner. The bodies were made by Transvaal Steel Pressing Syndicate, and the liners by Jager Rand. And 3-holes were punched between the skull and rear rim, it is thought these were to attach a curtain type neck flap but the use of such was uncommon and credible examples are rare. 3 Quote
leon21 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Posted January 8, 2015 Here are two helmets made by Rubery Owen & Co Ltd of Leeds 1939 to 1943. The first is a NFS Fire Service district No 24 Birmingham maker stamped RO&CO NB 1939 their first year of production, with a MKI* liner made by Helmets Ltd of Wheathampstead 1937 to 1941 and stamped 1939, also has the wearers id number on the inside rim. Second is a MKII made in 1942 and stamped as RO.CO DN 1942,the helmet is painted red which is normally associated with a Fire Brigade/Dept, it has the wearers name and id number which I believe is Indonesian. The MKII liner is 1942 made by the Teddy Toy Co of Dagenham 1939 to 1942 which was their last year of production, it's not in the best of condition and the helmet lugs are stamped 1941. 2 Quote
Greg Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 Were fire brigade helmets only used during the war for obvious reason or were they used after as a form of early fire helmet? German fire brigades used modified WWII helmets well into the 60s and I think in East Germany even later with attached leather neck guards and large air vents. 2 Quote
leon21 Posted January 9, 2015 Author Posted January 9, 2015 The NFS was in service from 1941 till 1948 when it was disbanded and the Fire Services reverted to the Local County Authority. The years following WW2 was a time of great shortages for the new UK Fire Forces, so much so that they were even asked to save the pins/paperclips and folder covers from the NFS files they were throwing away. I'm sure they just carried on using the NFS equipment they had to hand. A new made to measure fire tunic with greater protective quality was introduced in 1953/54 and a new type of helmet was issued to all members of the new Fire Brigade. 3 Quote
Kenny Andrew Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Hi Colin, any idea what this maker is? looks like ES3? it's on a Police helmet we just got in today. 1 Quote
leon21 Posted January 29, 2015 Author Posted January 29, 2015 Hi Kenny, looks like EC3 to me which would be E.Camelinat Sheet Metal Pressings Co, Albion Works, Carver St B/Ham, who pressed the bowl shapes for the Brodie helmet from 1939 to 1943. A lot of these police brodie helmets only have the steel supplier and batch number stamp marks on them, the date stamp could be under the chin strap lug. 2 Quote
leon21 Posted January 29, 2015 Author Posted January 29, 2015 Here's an example of another Police Brodie helmet stamped just G30 and faint date mark. 2 Quote
Kenny Andrew Posted January 29, 2015 Posted January 29, 2015 thanks Colin, I'll take a look at the helmet again tomorrow when I'm back at the shop 2 Quote
leon21 Posted January 30, 2015 Author Posted January 30, 2015 Have a look at the liner, see if there's a date and maker mark on it to help date the helmet. 2 Quote
Kenny Andrew Posted January 30, 2015 Posted January 30, 2015 Hi Colin, yes think it is EC3.There is also a faint stamp next to this which I think you can see in the picture which looks like it might be 39. Can't see anything on the liner as it is covered with a big circular wool pad which looks like your BMB Police helmet. The wool pad in this helmet is on top of the black liner straps where the date usually is, your circular wool pad looks to be underneath the black liner straps. 1 Quote
leon21 Posted January 30, 2015 Author Posted January 30, 2015 Yes know what you mean, the 39 will be the year mark which was their first year of production. 2 Quote
leon21 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Posted March 2, 2015 Brodie Helmet and Liner Variants, ( A Guide How to date your Helmet ). In October 1915 the Brodie helmet type A was approved by the War Office Inventions Dept and production started immediately, the helmet was rimless and was painted a smooth dark green colour, the leather chinstrap was attached to the helmet brim and the oilcloth liner was held in place to the skull of the helmet by a single rivet and a felt pad was fitted to the skull interior. This helmet was commonly known as "Helmet Steel Mark 1" and also referred as "Brodie's Steel Helmet, War Office Pattern". The liners were stamped with a Red Patent stamp, which read "Brodie's Steel Helmet Registration No 65199 War Office Pattern Patent No 11803/16 and made by the Army and Navy Co-op Society Westminster in which Mr Brodie had an Interest In 1916 several improvements were made a formed rim was added to the outer brim, and a new liner was utilezed, on the new liner there was a leather strap which was riveted to the top of the skull shell over a asbestos pad, liner and felt pad to hold them in place, the chinstrap was held by brass loops riveted to the brim with split rivets. also a net was fitted with draw string added to the liner for a better fit, the helmets were to be painted in a non- reflective Kharki - Sand Paint. Some type A rimless shells were reused and fitted with the new Mark 1 Liner. In 1917 a further improvement was made by introducing a rubber ring under the skull pad this would prevent a direct impact on the wearers helmet from being transmitted to the skull. At the same time the habit of painting the unit's formation patch onto the front or sides of the helmet began. In 1936 the MK1* helmet was fitted with a new an improved liner and a new elasticated or sprung webbing chinstrap added, this final variant served until 1939/40 when it was superseded by the slightly modified MK2 variant and also the helmet and liners were date stamped. Pic 1/2 of a 1915 Brodie rimless shell and liner. Pic 3. of a 1916 improved liner fitted to a rimless shell. Pic 4. of a 1917 added rubber ring improvement. Pic 5. of a 1936 improved liner. Pic 6. of a 1938 dated shell and liner. Pic 7. of a 1941 dated shell and liner MK2. 3 Quote
Greg Posted March 2, 2015 Posted March 2, 2015 And which liner improvement was it where they thought asbestos made a great interior padding? 2 Quote
leon21 Posted March 3, 2015 Author Posted March 3, 2015 Thanks for reminding me, forgot about that I've amended the post it was in 1916. below is a copy of a letter from the War Office relating to the Type D helmet dated 1915. 3 Quote
Gildwiller1918 Posted April 16, 2015 Posted April 16, 2015 Hello everyone, I am new here. Got a question on what I believe is a WW1 British helmet. It has the rolled edge, typical chin strap mounts, felt pad and donut. Only thing is I cannot ID the maker. I can faintly make out what appears to be a "BS" and right below is a larger D/O with a Lion? Please take a look at the pictures, I would appreciate any help, Thanks! 3 Quote
leon21 Posted April 18, 2015 Author Posted April 18, 2015 It's nice to find these trademark images on WW1 helmets they don't come up very often, I'm compiling a list of these at the moment will add it when completed. The lion trademark is for Bury's & Co Sheffield. The D = James Dixon & Sons Ltd Sheffield. The O = Samuel Osborne & Co Sheffield. 2 Quote
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