Tom.Delahoyde Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Hi all this is my first post. I found my step-father’s father’s and grand-father’s british brodie helmets from ww1 and ww2. I need help identifying some markings on the second world war brodie. I am pretty sure the ww2 helmet was worn protecting/ patrolling the British Houses of Parliament after he was injured in standard service. Here is an image ( sorry for bad quality) There are 3 letters painted on the front i think it could be either one of these combinations: DPH DPB OPB OPH NPH NPB I have looked on a couple brodie specialist websites and can’t find anything. Sorry for the long post and thanks for any info you can give me, Tom 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Andrew Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Hi Tom, welcome to the forum. That's a tough one without knowing what the actual letters are. It is very hard to tell from the photo. Colin is the man for Brodies but I think he might struggle with this one too. Is it possible to take a better picture of the helmet, are there any markings inside? In 1940 a Parliamentary Home Guard unit "The Palace of Westminster Company" was established, consisting of around one hundred Members and staff of both Houses. During the war, the Company took part in fire watching duties, manned a gun at the exit to Westminster Underground Station and undertook a wide variety of training schemes. During the State Opening of Parliament in 1942 they formed a guard of honour for the King in the Royal Gallery and in that same year were inspected by Churchill. Palace of Westminster Home Guard cap badge 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom.Delahoyde Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 Here you go Kenny, on closer inspection it looks like the last letter is probably a B. The helmet istself is a Mk.1* but i have looked and cannot find any manufacturer stamps on either the helmet or liner/strap. Thanks for the video, i will show my step father and see if he can recognise his dad 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Welcome to the forum Tom. I would think this is more likely to be lettering on a Civil Defence unit helmet than Home Guard. the problem is that all the war time services such as the ARP, NFS, and various Civil Defence Units as well as the Home Guard all were engaged in defending high profile public building such as the Houses of Parliament. Do you know if he was a civilian at this time, and could you take a photo of the inside of the helmet for me, and what colour is the paint finish of the helmet, in the photo it looks blue/grey ?. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom.Delahoyde Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 He was in standard active service but was injured in 1941/42 and it was then when he was positioned at Parliament. He worked at the Houses of Parliament (I can’t quite remember what position he held but I will ask my step father tomorrow) and he was good friends with Sir Winston Churchill and attended various dinners with him, one of which we have the original letter and menu for. I am also unsure whether he began working in Parliament before or after the war, i will be able to tell you tomorrow though. Heres a photo of a little of the remaining paint, it seems dark grey/ green to me, and a photo of the inside. Hopefully this information helps, Tom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Andrew Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Hi Tom, it looks to me like it might be a Home Guard helmet but I will let Colin give his opinion first. Yes would be very interested to see the other documents, menu and any other information you have as these might help with identifying the letters on the helmet. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 That's interesting that he was a staff member, because staff members were asked to volunteer to help in fire watching duties with miles of corridors and hundreds of offices to check. I'm thinking the lettering could refer to a department he possibly worked in or simply that he worked in a department in a parliamentary house, it's speculative at best I know ?. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom.Delahoyde Posted June 24, 2018 Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 Hi all, sorry for the late reply, He was the head of the South-West ministry of publics works. He did work there before the war but we are not sure if he held that position pre-war. He worked in White Hall prior to the war as a chartered surveyor. He was on guard duties mostly on the rooftops of parliament apparently with Churchill quite a lot. After the war he was, as prior stated, he held a very high position and worked in surveying land and buildings for military purposes, including Goonhilly which was his most famous and he even chose that name. He worked in Eastgate House, Exter. His full name was Kenneth George Yeoman Geeson. Thanks for all help, Tom 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom.Delahoyde Posted June 24, 2018 Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 I now think the 3 letters on the fromt is actually D then a Crown then the letter H. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom.Delahoyde Posted June 24, 2018 Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 Also after cleaning the helmet i have found the liner manufacturers: 7 I VERO 1938 I nicked this off another forum: Vero 2 = Everett.W.Vero & Co London.........................1937 - 1944 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 Very interesting Tom, if it is a crown then the letters could stand for Department Head to show he was the top man in charge. The helmet shell is indeed a M1* with an early made Vero liner. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom.Delahoyde Posted June 24, 2018 Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 Cheers, that sounds like that would be correct. Im thinking about making a visit to the Imperial War Museum in London to show one of their specialists as it seems to be hard to find information about it. many thanks, Tom 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Black Bands Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 did you visit? how did it go? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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