Trenchfoot Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Hello! I Purchased this helmet 3 days ago under the idea that it was British. It turned out to be Canadian and the shell dated 1942. However, the liner was dated 1954. Was it possibly used after ww2 as a post war helmet, having the liner replaced? Also, I am skeptical of the camo netting. It hangs over the users face when you wear it, and looks to be ether fake, or field made. Can you guys help me out? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Andrew Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Hi Trenchfoot , welcome to the forum Leon is our specialist on Brodie helmets and will probably be able to tell you who made the liner. Usually I would expect to see a Canadian WD stamp on the inside of the liner so if the liner is British then most likely some one has just added it.The netting is not Canadian either,Canadian netting was two tone with a much tighter netting,British WW2 netting was the same only in one tone. Here are pictures of WW2 Canadian netting. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenchfoot Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 Thanks for the info. If the camo isn't military issue, was it common for soldiers to possibly make camo netting themselves? Also, a weird thing about this helmet is that it has a black square stamp with some numbers in it inside the shell of the helmet. Do you know what this means? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Welcome to the forum Trenchfoot. The helmet is indeed a Canadian Motor Lamp Co made helmet who made them from 1940 -1943 they also made chinstraps is there a stamp mark on the chinstrap maybe ?. The Liner is British made by Fisher Foil Ltd who made them from 1942-1945. it's not clear if they carried on making them when WW2 ended but have been found with date stamps from between 1949-1954. The black stamp inside the shell looks like a quality control type stamp I've seen on the inside of liners, the American Army used a stamp like this on their helmet liners not sure if the Canadians did the same on theirs. The netting looks like reproduction to me. Hope this helps. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenchfoot Posted July 8, 2016 Author Share Posted July 8, 2016 Thanks for the reply. I don't see any maker marks on the chinstrap but I may be wrong. Where are the maker marks usually located on the chinstrap? I know this sounds stupid but I'm new to this stuff but what was the purpose for a quality control stamp? Was it put on post war? Also, is it possible that this helmet was reissued post war by the British? This helmet has me stumped 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Andrew Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 interesting, the quality control stamp has a 54 on it , if this is a date it would match the liner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenchfoot Posted July 8, 2016 Author Share Posted July 8, 2016 I was thinking the same thing! Weird huh? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Yes I'm sure the 54 is a date number, The stamp is more like a passed inspection stamp, most likely the helmet was factory refurbished re-sprayed, new liner then passed after inspection for re-issue, would have the date and the persons id number or code who inspected and passed it. Not sure if this is a British stamp mark or Canadian. The chinstrap would have a ink stamp on the inside of the flat middle section maybe a number. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenchfoot Posted July 8, 2016 Author Share Posted July 8, 2016 Does that make it worth more or less? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Andrew Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 It would not be worth as much as a Canadian combat helmet, was probably reissued for something like civil defense, still unusual 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenchfoot Posted July 9, 2016 Author Share Posted July 9, 2016 Thanks for explaining all that! Might have more helmets to post in the future 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 I'd have to agree with Kenny, civil defence or reservist. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Hi Trenchfoot, after further research into Mk2 1950s refurbished helmets, it seems that both the British and Canadians both used the same type of stamp to stamp inside the helmet when it had been resprayed and a new liner had been fitted. Sprayed either in a textured brown or a kharki green colour and most if not all had the liner replaced, later helmets to be refurbished were sprayed in a lighter green smoother paint from between 1949 - 1955. Below a Canadian stamp mark on the inside of the helmet in a lighter green mat finish 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenchfoot Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 Thanks so much for the clarification on the helmet! It helps a lot! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 I've also looked into the netting on your helmet, it seems to be the type of string netting produced for the Mk3-MK4-Mk5 Turtle helmet mid to late 1950s below photo's of the type used on a refurbished MK2 helmet. also this type of netting you can buy in reproduction. Makers of post war liners D.P.E.C.-1949-? CCL -1952-53-? FFL -1949-54-? REM (Remploy Ltd) -1949-55-? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenchfoot Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 That's a comforting thought. I always thought the netting was fake 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenchfoot Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 One last thing, does the netting shrink over time, because the netting on my helmet hangs over the wearers eyes. Maybe it was once bigger and tucked under the liner? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Problem is this type of netting was never meant to fit the MK2 helmet only the later 1950s turtle helmet as far as I can see. You may have to see if you can adapt it some how to fit better. Unless anybody else has any suggestions. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenchfoot Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 Ok I will try to make it fit. Thanks! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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