Brodie with Web/Canvas Chinstrap - What do you make of this?

[MikeS0000]

Hello Folks -

Can anyone advise as to what the origin of a split-pin MkI helmet with a one piece web/canvas chinstrap? It is the same configuration as the standard one piece leather slider strap. The liner is oilcloth with the felt(?) pad that comes down to the edge of the bowl and it looks like it has the rubber coil under the felt.

I've never seen this example before, but read somewhere this type strap was used in the late war period.

Thanks for any help!

- Best regards, MikeS

[Joe Sweeney]

MikeS,

Do you have an pictures?

Does not sound like a standard chinstrap--either wardepartment two piece or MKI one piece in leather.

Not a standard chinstrap by any means and not an official pattern. Your description of the liner may be the mid 1917 variant with rubber donut.

However, these things do show-up and I believe Haselgrove Radovic have a photo of a cloth chinstrap of undetermined pattern.

A picture would help.

Joe Sweeney

[MikeS0000]

Hi Joe -

Having fits uploading image. It's only a 59k image, but I get a message it is 2.01Mb?

Anyhow, will try this link. I've not seen one of these before. Other than the liner it looks like a standard Brodie. Condition is not that great.

- Thanks! Mike

[Andrew Upton]

I've seen a few of these before, and as far as I've been able to determine they are an early post-war American item, probably for parade use - the liners are really rather different to proper war-time made helmets, and the split rivets to hold the chinstrap bails seem to be a bit of a red herring in saying the helmet's of British origin.

[Torrey McLean]

Hello, Mike - What is the manufacturer's code [alphabetical letters followed by a number (e.g., "FKS 31" or "ZA 556")] stamped into the underside of the brim? Regards, Torrey

[MikeS0000]

Hello, Mike - What is the manufacturer's code [alphabetical letters followed by a number (e.g., "FKS 31" or "ZA 556")] stamped into the underside of the brim? Regards, Torrey

Hi Torrey -

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) I don't have that information. These are photos I snagged from an auction, with a rather elaborate history attached to the helmet.

But the liner and strap piqued my curiousity.

- Best regards! Mike

[Andrew Upton]

Hello, Mike - What is the manufacturer's code [alphabetical letters followed by a number (e.g., "FKS 31" or "ZA 556")] stamped into the underside of the brim? Regards, Torrey

If it's anything like the others I've seen, it won't have any markings like that at all. More evidence these were never standard field use helmets.