WW1 Brodie helmet identification

[Garyreg]

Good afternoon

I have bought what I presume to be a WW1 Brodie helmet but dont know much more than that. I have tried researching it nut not getting anywhere and cannot find any marks to the helmet to assist. Does anyone know anymore about it? Many thanks

 

[trenchtrotter]

Not WW1 Im afraid.

[Garyreg]

thank you for your reply do you know any other info about it? Thanks

[Andrew Upton]

3 hours ago, Garyreg said:

thank you for your reply do you know any other info about it? Thanks

Edit: As indicated by TT above, in this configuration it's a typical WW2 era Brodie type helmet, and would have looked something like this when complete. It may be a reworked WW1 era shell (with new rim and chinstrap lugs) but it's difficult to tell from the pictures:

Edited 16 December , 2023 by Andrew Upton

[peregrinvs]

It’s a WWII era MkII helmet. With those style of chinstrap lugs, I don’t think it was manufactured earlier than 1939/40. The missing parts aren’t difficult to find if you wanted to restore it.

[Andrew Upton]

5 hours ago, peregrinvs said:

...With those style of chinstrap lugs, I don’t think it was manufactured earlier than 1939/40...

The lugs by themselves are not a good indicator of when a helmet may have originally been manufactured as many older WW1 pattern helmet shells were upgraded as I mentioned above with a new rim and lugs in the late 1930's/early WW2 period and also fitted with the later liners. The easiest way to be certain would be to have detailed enough photos of the rim to see if any stamped markings survive, confirm whether the brim is wider at the sides or the same thickness all round, and get the OP to see if it passes or fails the "rocker" test.

[peregrinvs]

True, although the shell shape looks MkII to me and I believe those are the later type MkII lugs that I don’t think were fitted to MkI* helmets. (Happy to be proven wrong) My MkI* helmet below has the earlier type lugs. More generally, you can also see how the rim is noticeably wider at the sides compared to the front and back compared to the one above.

 

 

Edited 17 December , 2023 by peregrinvs

[JMB1943]

I would be interested to know what piece of military hardware left behind the ghost image inside the bowl, or are they painted initials?

Regards,

JMB

[Andrew Upton]

8 hours ago, peregrinvs said:

True, although the shell shape looks MkII to me and I believe those are the later type MkII lugs that I don’t think were fitted to MkI* helmets. (Happy to be proven wrong) My MkI* helmet below has the earlier type lugs. More generally, you can also see how the rim is noticeably wider at the sides compared to the front and back compared to the one above.

The later lugs were sometimes retrofitted but they are certainly a lot rarer by comparison to the earlier type (I presume by the point the simplified lugs were coming into existence mass WW2 production of all new helmets was ramping up to the point where retrofitting of the lower quality WW1 shells was becoming an unnecessary and complicated addition to the system). To my eye and with a ruler picture one makes the rim look more or less equal all round whilst picture three gives the distinct impression it's wider at the sides. At this point it would really help if the OP returned and made a few more meaningful contributions...

Edited 18 December , 2023 by Andrew Upton