Jerry B

Indeed, my thoughts as well.

Very nice Robin. I have a similar embroidery to the RWF which is also probably a hopsital made item. I have a few other items to the RWF, too many to show here. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2014/post-17018-0-88734100-1415800444.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2014/post-17018-0-46549200-1415800470.jpg

Superb helmet and great with the known history of its former owner.

This seems to support the supposition that the first rimmed types that at some stage come to be known as MKI's were also originally known as Brodie type D's. A wonderful piece of detective work and great to see this. Well done Tony.

I am still happy to respond to any term that anyone cares to use, Brodies, Tommy, MKI et al........ I know a lot of the terms we as collectors use did not exist at the time and were invented by us and our predecessors, and to be honest in this case I do not know the truth and I am not sure it really matters as all concerned seem to know to what we are referring when using any of the above terms.

Certainly on the one point I would agree, I don't think that any of them were ever known as Brodies at the time and the term only came into use later, the early were war office pattern type A & B, the later helmet steel MKI etc.... As I mentioned above, I tend to use the term Tommy Helmet as then everyone knows to what I refer. As regards the liners, you are incorrect, the Brodie marked liners were a new issue for the later WWI versions as they are quire different to that seen on the early patterns so they cannot be reused old stock. Obviously your facts appear to be different to my facts, but as you say facts are facts.

Well strictly speaking as far as I understand it the rimless types were known as war office pattern type A & B, not brodies at all, perhaps I am wrong. As Paul mentioned above, if the early MKI's have Brodie helmet on the liner, then how can anyone claim they are not Brodies?

I tend to use the Tommy helmet to refer to all types and I would not usually use the term Brodie when talking about WWII examples, but it is not something that bugs me when others do.

Very nice Robin. I also have a cop one, WWII. I also have Warden, National Fire Service, Home Guards, Army issued to a member of the RWF and some others one which is probably Boy Scouts Another homeguard or Ambulance And another Army that has seen better days

It is odd that to some (and I used to think this) the use of the term Brodie is only applied to the rimless versions, though as Paul mentions the MKI's actually have the Brodie name inside the lining which must mean they should be considered as Brodies. Perhaps only the later versions, MKI* and MKII's should not be considered to be Brodies. Here are my two WWI examples. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2014/post-17018-0-83053600-1415392620.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2014/post-17018-0-51127900-1415392597.jpg

Very nice, the grey paint almost looks like primer but it is hard to say when not in the hand. Does it appear to have been on there a long time? Still very nice either way Paul. i have two great war brodies, one in nearly mint condition, the other a relic shell only.

It is a good read, I have had my copy for years, ex library 1974 edition. I had to go and check exactly which unit he was with so it was good that it was the same unit as your grandfather, though I assume there were not many such units at the time.

You can find it here, the reviews are very good. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0718305221/sr=1-1/qid=1415308612/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1415308612&sr=1-1

Tony, have you read Flame Thrower by Andrew Wilson MC who was in the 141st Regiment RAC (The Buffs) isbn 0 7041 0042 8 1956 & 1974 The book covers the period 1943 to 1945 and recounts his exprience commanding a flame thrower tank in North West Europe.

For this pattern I think there is only one maker and I have only seen one other of this type that still had its original liner in place and another one with a replaced post war liner in it. Perhaps at the time other ways were used but for these they all seem to have a string holding the liner in place. Both of the early patterns have laces/strings holding the liner in. Here is the other type of early compressed material/pulp DR helmet which also has a string/lace holding the liner in place, the later steel DR helmet has the liner riveted in place.

Tony, i have never heard of specific insignia for flamethrower tank drivers so it will be interesting if anyone shows some.

I was commenting on Glengarries without diced bands that had red toories, which were the Black watch and the QOCH, which is why the letter were mentioned as the cap was not for the Cams to whom it was badged. Obviously though you appear to be well up on these and there is probably no need for me to comment any further

Sorry Paul I must have got distracted by the other cap shown which has the rosette whilst yours does not so Black Watch would be correct. The problem then is that WWI BW is different from WWII versions. I think yours is WWI because for WWII the P would be above the WD rather than below as on yours so you need the type with the lower scroll. WWI type WWII type http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-65869900-1414701273.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-30433600-1414701293.jpg

Yes, with the rosette it would be Queen's Own Camaron highlanders, not Black watch. Here are two from my collection. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-45448400-1414700445.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-47575600-1414700466.jpg

The cap has the oily liner that you would expect to see on earlier examples and up to WWII, very nice and it might be WWI. The badge is a fake, the England tab is a sure sign of that, but as it was the wrong badge it is not too big a loss and just try and find an original QOCH badge for it.

A few more new pics taken today. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-88302600-1414692202.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-43096000-1414692224.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-87559400-1414692246.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-43078400-1414692270.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-67538000-1414692292.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-42412300-1414692314.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-80866400-1414692336.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-92103100-1414692358.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-55637900-1414692379.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-45799900-1414692401.jpg

Thanks Mervyn. Interesting what you post regarding Empire as I assume that is the makers name rather than relating to place of manufacture, and that would be an important clue in regards to these helmets. I have only seen one other of this type that still exists -though obviously there could be lots I have not seen and well actually two but the 2nd one had the wrong liner in it, post war civilian type- and the other one has the same type of liner marked Empire with the size and Patent Applied for marking, the latter is something I would expect to see on items from the Sates.

I copied this from the Great War Forum. I'm hoping to get some help from collectors that have articles of clothing with the wartime RACD stamp and a known maker. I am trying to correlate makers to Clothing Depots. I have never known what the letters tamps meant except it doesn't relate to date--like post war. I had thought they may refere to type of commmodity or inspection branch or Depot. I now think that L=depot. I'm trying to get supporting documentation or documentation that blows this theory out of the water. What started me thinking about this again was threads on this forum and one on Wolseley Helmets and also the Badges forum. Most of my information is very circumstantial and might not apply for the duration of war. Most is gleaned from the History of Army Ordnance Services, Debenhams Report on RACD and appendices (Barron Levy reports) and DEOS (Steevens reply) and of course observation. The number on the Stamp is to the Inspector/viewer--Steevens states this in his reply to the recommendations of the three reports cited. Also, this system was instituted due to lost control and corruption by some viewers at pimlico in the brush, cutlery and braces area after June 30 1915. The above cited reports that ther number of Inspectors and assistant inspectors went from 5 to 39 and for viewers 55 to 317 from 1914 to Sept 15. The letters I now believe are to the Depots tasked with Reciept and storage. In Sept 1915 these were: Pimlico (London) Olympia (London) White City (london) Marlyborne (London) Leeds Manchester (Trafford Park) Only set-up for reciept of US and Canadian Made Uniforms and in process of shutting down) Possible other: Glasgow, and Dublin. Stamps I've encountered are E, L, M, N, O, P I believe that L=Leeds M=Marlyborne O=Olympia P=Pimlico I believe that commodities that needed special skills for inpsectors went to specific Depots and that more generalized SD clothing to regional Depots. I have 3 SD jackets with Three different Leeds Manufacturers all with an L stamp. I have two London Makers of SD jackets all with an M stamp. All Caps have either an O for caps made 1915-early 1917 or a P for deliveries after early 1917. Interestingly, several caps have come to the surface that have stamps from 1918-1922 using the pre-war RACD system that Pimico used of W/ID over number over date. See http://www.britishba...ead.php?t=29216 Thanks Taff. This leads me to believe caps were coming into PIMLICO and the system reverted back to pre-war ways of doing business circa 18/19. I also have three kilts with the P code--the only ones with still legible stamps. All waterproof clothing I have or seen have the O stamp. I suspect that caps went to Olympia first then to Pimlico after Waterproof clothing swamped Olympia. This doesn't answer what E or N stood for or what code White City had. Nor what depots closed and potentially others opened. I have one pair of SD trousers with what I believe is an E code but no intact manufacutring label and I think I have some SD with an N code, but can't find at moment. For those collectors that have clothing with labels could you please check to see manfacture lines up with the closest code for a Depot (particulaly SD). Of course if we have a lot of london manufactures with an L code this theory is blown out of the water. Thanks in advance Joe Sweeney

A Helmets Crash Despatch Rider HSDR economy version made from compressed rubber and fibre and not a common survivor, the first version seems to have survived more often. Both types are seen in old photographs and were also said to have been used as early glider and para training helmets. The example is marked as being made by Empire which were the only maker I can find for these. They are not dated but the other example I can find has a WD arrow for 1941, this one has no surviving arrow mark that I have so far been able to find. The red stripe is thought to be MP markings. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-55315400-1414577880.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-41565300-1414577900.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-67763400-1414577920.jpg http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-67983600-1414577939.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-19494000-1414577959.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-52799600-1414577971.jpg http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-76921800-1414577976.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-02834600-1414577986.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2014/post-17018-0-98774400-1414577988.jpg

The WD arrow over I shows it was for issue in India which fits nicely with you buying if fro Pakistan. For a syringe I assume.