M15 Prussian guard helmet

edwin

edwin

Active member
Dear all,

Although it looks ok to me, I am interested in your opinion about this helmet:

http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120783386337&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kind regards,

Edwin
 
I see now major issues, hard to read uniti markings, but rest looks ok, very nice Maker or distrubuter mark inside.

Nice looking helmet.

James
 
joerookery said:
Edwin,

Something is not quite right. BA XVIII?? guard helmet??
Click to expand...

A little research on Tony's website showed me that this armee korps did not have a cloting depot of its own but was supplied by otherts. It is therefore indeed strange that this helmet is marked as such. Any thoughts on this?

Regards,

Edwin
 
Yeah, it doesn't look quite right to me either... I would say this is a helmet made from parts.
 
RON said:
Yeah, it doesn't look quite right to me either... I would say this is a helmet made from parts.
Click to expand...

That's a conclusion I am willing to second after your insightful comments :D

Regards,

Edwin
 
this armee korps did not have a cloting depot of its own but was supplied by otherts.
Click to expand...

In peacetime. During the war they created a reserve organization.

III Bavarian Army Corps created a Bekleidungs Depot (BD) and in Prussia where the XVIII, XX, and XXI corps had no Bekleidungsamt they developed what was called a Reserve Bekleidungsamt (RBA). The reserve Bekleidungsamt seems to have been identical to the other Bekleidungsamt organizations but used different marks as in the example below, for XVIII Corps. I cannot readily explain the difference in name except to note that there had been no Bekleidungsamt in these military districts previously.
Click to expand...
http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/DepotMarks_5_09.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is another part of this. As far as I know the BKA from each Army Corps identified themselves with Roman numerals. Such as XVI. However, RBA 18 used Arabic numbers. At least for the examples I have seen. The BIA or BJA uses XVIII. so I do not know if this is a different Mark type or something else. Regardless… Guard Corps???
 
joerookery said:
this armee korps did not have a cloting depot of its own but was supplied by otherts.
Click to expand...

In peacetime. During the war they created a reserve organization.

III Bavarian Army Corps created a Bekleidungs Depot (BD) and in Prussia where the XVIII, XX, and XXI corps had no Bekleidungsamt they developed what was called a Reserve Bekleidungsamt (RBA). The reserve Bekleidungsamt seems to have been identical to the other Bekleidungsamt organizations but used different marks as in the example below, for XVIII Corps. I cannot readily explain the difference in name except to note that there had been no Bekleidungsamt in these military districts previously.
Click to expand...
http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/DepotMarks_5_09.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is another part of this. As far as I know the BKA from each Army Corps identified themselves with Roman numerals. Such as XVI. However, RBA 18 used Arabic numbers. At least for the examples I have seen. The BIA or BJA uses XVIII. so I do not know if this is a different Mark type or something else. Regardless… Guard Corps???
Click to expand...

As far as I know all regiments belonging to the guards corps were stationed in the area of Berlin and XVIII korps was from Frankfurt. It is therefore indeed strange that a guards helmet bears a stamp of XVIII korps.

Regards,

Edwin
 
poniatowski said:
Hey! I've been to Frankfurt! (just wanted to contribute something.... #-o )

:D Ron
Click to expand...

and also the financial center of Germany. :D

soooo about this helmet, if the markings are wrong or weird then what should we expect to see as a wappen on this? I have a similar Guard helmet with wrong markings but good hardware and the wappen's prongs in good shape, meaning they havent been moved. I will post later w/ some pics. also the age of the "suum cuique" crown looks a lot different from the rest of the patina on the helmet. something to think about.
 
Looking forward to seeing the photos! Interesting discussion. If this is a war time helmet, could it be possible that different depots had different types of helmet for supply purposes, even those that weren't normally stocked? just a thought... probably a dumb one, but if the German supply system was anything like the US Army's then you never know what's going to turn up where... or why.

:D Ron
 
poniatowski said:
Looking forward to seeing the photos! Interesting discussion. If this is a war time helmet, could it be possible that different depots had different types of helmet for supply purposes, even those that weren't normally stocked? just a thought... probably a dumb one, but if the German supply system was anything like the US Army's then you never know what's going to turn up where... or why.

:D Ron
Click to expand...

Ron

I know what you're talking about. When I was stationed at Ft Carson, The supply clerk in an adjoining unit transposed 2 numbers on a requisition for a bulb for an overhead light in a M-113 APC. 3 weeks later there was a destroyer anchor on a flatbed rail car in the the Ft Carson rail yard waiting for him. Lovely pictures in the paper, on the news, etc. Musta been around 1985 :D

Keith
 
Other than the BA markings, I have no problems with this M15. The liner is not a reproduction....it shows all the stress marks, chaffing and dryness that should be there. You can not fake these. The sides of the liner also conform to the mishapened sides of the shell where the front visor is stitched on. There are stress cracks in the liner where they should be. The liner rim appears a bit puffy. However, I have seen this before in M15s which have not been worn much if at all. The liner shows no evidence of skin oil or sweat stains. The colour of the liner looks weird in a couple of pics....but in others it is the proper undyed colour.
I would also point out that the shell has no extra holes and the wappen sucks right back against it. The solder on the wappen loops has the right patina so no evidence of having been moved. I have no problem with the star as if you look closely the colour of the tips seem to blend in welll with the more rusted parts of the plate. My 2 cents.
 
I started a new post of a similar conversation we are having here about "strange" markings.

http://www.pickelhaubes.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6389" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Its a helmet I have had for awhile now, pictures too!!! :D
 
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