Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This very nice and rare helmet started out as a Canadian Manufactured WWII British MK I Dispatch Rider helmet. After that, due to the wartime demand for paratrooper helmets, it was modified into a paratrooper helmet. The paratrooper and dispatch rider helmet utilized the same shell and makers, so this was not a very hard conversion.
It involved cutting off the dispatch rider "cowling", turning the helmet around, and then installing the proper paratrooper chin strap. This example had a MkI pattern leather chin strap installed.
The stamping on the underside of the front rim has size marking L and also is stamped with:
C. L. C. 1944
This marking indicates manufacture by Canadian Motor Lamp Co. of Windsor, who produced Paratrooper and Dispatch Rider helmets during the war. They had made Brodie MkII helmet shells from 1940-43, but ceased to concentrate on the paratrooper style shells. These would be needed in large numbers for the planned European Invasion. Shell is overall in great shape with no major issues. It looks to have been repainted desert tan, possibly post war.
The leather liner is in good shape, and is marked 1945 (BS) 7 3/4, indicating manufacture by the Backstay Standard Company. It still has intact original foam rubber padding, which has gotten somewhat stiff due to age, but is not hard like many examples. the original leather paratrooper chin strap is complete, and still functional, though it does show wear and use.
This helmet is in very nice condition, and would make an excellent addition to any collection. A great example of a wartime modified Paratrooper helmet, ready to display!
The MK III began to replace the MK II helmet in February of 1944. The MKII was not widely issued until September 1944, although some were used by the 6th Airborne Division during the Normandy Invasion in June, 1944. The MkII helmet saw widespread use when the Division fought at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden and was also issued to the Polish Parachute Brigade.
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
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