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LEATHER BRODIE STYLE HELMET


Spike

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Leather Brodie style helmet

 

I have just bought a Brodie style battle bowler with a sewn leather outer shell. Please see three photos attached. I have seen lots of helmets but never one like this before. I assume it was made for use where non-magnetic equipment was necessary, such as for mine clearance, bomb disposal, compass work etc. The top screw is brass as are the rivets attaching the chin strap. The two small pieces of sheet metal attaching the strap are however magnetic steel. The strap is elasticated with what appears to be two non-magnetic coil springs each side within the fabric. The helmet has not had a lot of use. Externally it is clean, internally it has the dirt of the ages even after a wipe with a damp cloth.

 

Alternatively, as the liner of this helmet is very small, perhaps it was for cadet use?

 

Any information as to use or manufacturer would be much appreciated. I don't see any markings other than the wearers initials H.W. in black ink on the strap.

 

post-37708-0-57086500-1452713741_thumb.jpgpost-37708-0-90910600-1452713778_thumb.jpgpost-37708-0-71571900-1452713813_thumb.jpg

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Hi Spike,

 

welcome to the forum , Leon is our man for brodie helmets ,I'm sure he will be along shortly and hopefully be able to help :thumbsup:

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No problem Spike , if you need any help with anything just let me know :)

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Welcome to the forum Spike.

 

There's little information on these leather MK2 type Brodie's they are believed to be Cromwell/Bentafex protector helmets

and were used mainly by workers in ammunition factories or anyone handling high explosives to prevent sparks.

Cromwell also made a two piece Fibre MK2 type for the private purchase market for anyone to buy and use on the Home

Front.

If you look at the liner straps they were maker marked and dated, below is a Fibre MK2 type helmet photo.post-3823-0-86311300-1452804185_thumb.jpgpost-3823-0-71906200-1452804200_thumb.jpg

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Hello Leon,

 

Many thanks for your welcome and information. What you say about ammunition workers could explain why my helmet has such a small liner, possibly having been worn by a young woman. Unfortunately there are no visible marks on it. I have looked carefully at the straps.

 

The only piece of information I could get from the dealer was that "It came from a house in Glasgow". Perhaps it was worn at the Royal Ordnance Factory Bishopton or the ICI explosives works on the Ayrshire coast but I realise masses of people must have handled munitions in central Scotland during the war years. I guess workers wore their helmets when traveling to work, perhaps how this one ended up in private hands.

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  • 3 years later...

I appreciate that this is an old-ish thread but these leather ones have puzzled me for years. It is SAID that they were the only non-metal helmets which were made specifically for ordinance factory work (it seems other "plastics" were made to avoid the steel ban) but I haven't found any proof. Re the makers, one can only assume that they were made by one or more of the leather-workers such as Jabez Cliff who also made the DR rider pattern. But without proof, it's all speculation......I'm still working on it  🙂

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