Pith Helmet

[Deaf Smith]

Wouldn't it be wonderful to find the soldiers name, and then his surviving relatives and give his son or grandson, their fathers helmet he wore in the war.

And awful lot of people lost loveones and got nothing to remember them by.

Artmiser, let us know what you find.

Deaf

[cato]

Originally Posted by artmiser

Hey all I picked up a british Pith helmet today, trying to find some info on it. Info I have is the inner manufacturing tag is attatched to the inner top and is half missing. what I have says Kamal ripped then ort ltd with 1941 in a symbol like the outline of a police officers badge. interior material looked like its color was originaly olive drab but faded on the top to a light green tan.

On the front bill is written, by a soldier most likely, WREN and below that 142.

Sherlock is on the job. If 1941 refers to a date (of manufacture) we can narrow it down. The standard pattern 'Wolseley' helmet was not produced after 1942. British (UK) troops were not issued the standard pattern tropical helmet after 1941 except for service in India and Indian Army operation areas and this appears to be a Quartermaster's subterfuge. (My Father, posted to India in 1942, was issued a 'pith' helmet' amongst his RAF tropical kit-complete with 'neck protector' and on arrival in Bombay was required-as were all of the thousands of other troops, to hand it back into stores).
In WW2 tropical helmets can be seen worn by British (Indian Army units)
e.g 20th Indian Division in Iraq. Helmets made in India were stamped 'I' inside next to the date of production



Officers East of suez often wore the helmets in the early part of WW2 like Percival. But is was rare for O/R outside India.

The name Kemal suggests a middle-east production--Egypt, perhaps?
You will be hard pressed to find a picture of WW2 British troops wearing a tropical helmet in Egypt in WW2, they were considerd 'naff'.The Australians issued pith helmets, but I have never seen a picture of any 190s Aussie unit wearing them except ceremonial. An exception is soldiers from the South African defence Force who sported a non-wolseley pattern 'polo' helmet




The South African forces were also active in Ethiopia, Madagascar, Eritrea and confusingly--the Railway Brigade extended lines in Palestine in WW2.
However, the name Kemal suggests a civilian or at least, a non-issue hatmaker. Khaki-colour helemets were common among civilian administrators and colonial police units (except Palestine and Transjordan) and plenty of civilians sported them.
A clue. Soldiers habitually wrote the names of their units, their stations and actions on the inside of the helmets


Look around the sweat band for an imprint


You may get more help here


http://www.gmic.co.uk/