Uncategorised A special transitional helmet...

[Adler 1]

As you gentlemen know, my collection is all about Imperial… but now and then, one has to explore a bit out of the box and look at some other stuff also. Sometimes I also find other things that interest me, look good and have the right price.

This is one of those cases… A few months ago this transitional came up for sale. I was immediately intruiged by this “6” on the right side of the helmet. The seller didn’t know why it was there or couldn’t think of a possibility… and guess what, I don’t know eighter.

The helmet is an M16, maker and size: Si 62. It was repainted with the standard rough army paint and it also received a new liner. There are no traces of a decal.

As you can see, the”6” is underneith the top layer of rough paint. This paint is worn off and the “6” became partially visible again. This means that the “6” was there before the repaint, you can also see in the picture that the paint of the “6” had some chemical reaction with the repaint of the helmet.

The rough texture of the repaint is also on the liner pins. Two of the pins sit rock solid and the third one can be moved just a little bit. Therefore we can conclude that the liner and pins were there before the repaint.

I hope you gentlemen can help me and solve the big question: why is the “6” on this helmet and when was it applied?

Maybe Freikorps and Reichswehr have something to do with it, but that’s pure guessing of course… Anyway, if someone has a picture of something like this, it would also be very much appreciated to post it here.

Thank you in advance for your help guys!

Adler 1

[Adler 1]

Hmmm... no reaction at all? C'mon guys, I really need some help here...

Adler 1

[Chris Boonzaier]

Could it be something very different to a unit marking?

i.e. maybe in town XXX there was a Bunker/Guardhouse/HQ/whatever.... with an NCO with a strong sense of order.

As it was not wartime, and the men who would use the bunker would only be there in emergency, the bunker was piled to the roof with nice equipment... all in its place and numbered to prevent pilfering and to show at a glance if all was accounted for?

Just a wild theory,

[Adler 1]

Thank you very much for your comment!

That's indeed a possible theory... On another forum someone suggested Weimar period an the "6" might be a company nr. I'll continue my search...

Adler 1

[Jock Auld]

Adler 1,

I don't think a bright white six is very tactical?

Perhaps used for training purpose with the squad numbered off?

I am sure I have seen in some of the 'Riebert' type of books troops numbered off in this fashion to demonstrate location and function of the soldier at various stages of battle drill.

I am sure it was in an artillery type service manual and I am buggered if I know where it is now, somewhere in the 'borg' that is my cellars.

Just a thought and not based on any hard fact just faded memory!

Jock:)

Edited September 3, 2013 by Jock Auld

[Adler 1]

Thank you very much Jock!

That also looks very plausible indeed. I hope you can find that book back again...

Adler 1

[Chris Liontas]

I know I've seen something like this before. Is there any photos in Baer's History of the German Steel Helmet with a helmet like this??? Love the age on the paint though. Neat to see original work like this!!! (plus the liner is a killer --- very nice!!)

[Adler 1]

Glad you like it Chris!

For now, I'll catalog it as a Weimar period for training purposes ...

Adler 1

[Adler 1]

I found this picture the other day... Maybe this WW1 guy has something to do with the "6" ...

Adler 1