TinLid

It all points to being an Australian helmet, lugs, cruciform pad, the make up of the liner, raw edge, the only thing that is different is the way the lugs are fitted to the shell. They should be rivets and not nut and bolt, or all the ones I've seen. Being magnetic could be that it has been contaminated over the years, or like British inferior helmets, they were used on the home front only.

From those not so good pictures, I'd go for an Australian WW2 army Mk2. There should be on the inside of the liner some date/maker name.

Not my area, but I'd go with it being an US M1917 or M1917A1, used post war by one of the European Countries like Holland or Belgium.

A nicely used army Mk2, textured outside, smooth in 1938-41, 41 onwards textured inside as well.

Lovely, and rare, you certainly have been busy recently.

Looks like a rank marking for the NFS,company officer.

An Mk1 HSRAC with an flash to the side of the Royal signals. Liner is dated 1943.

two black bands, two black bands. Nice as always from you, thanks.

Thanks for the comments.

Royal Northumberland Fusiliers with the distinctive red bands. In 1939 there were 9 battalions of Fusiliers, 1,2,7 &9 machine gun, 4 &8 motorcycle, 5 searchlight.

Glad it has got to see the light of day, looks really good with the three different helmet/hat types.

I voted US, for the reason that the uniform was practical and stylish for the time. Then when they realized abroad it didn't stand up, they had the money and manufacturing to change it.The equipment was sturdy and enormously practical. But as a collector today I find it really boring compared to other Countries uniforms.

Here's some information on one of the WW2 Malta history groups. The pattern, which was only used in Malta, had two main variations;Light vehicles, guns, generators, motorcycles, tanks, etc. which had an irregular outline were painted in a pattern resembling the rubble walls which bordered each and every field. This consisted of shapeless blotches of light stone paint, with a darker colour (dark green or dark brown mostly, but sometimes any dark shade available) between the blotches.Larger vehicles, especially those that had a squarish outline had the stone-coloured paint applied in rectangular blocks to resemble walls of buildings. The darker colour would thus be in straight lines to mimic the mortar and the gaps between the blocks. These vehicles would be parked next to a farmhouse and camouflaged further to resemble an extension of the building. Malta was awarded the George Cross for not only enduring the heaviest bombing campaign of WW2, but also for taking the fight back to the enemy. In such a scenario, camouflage was of vital importance for survival. For this reason a camouflage scheme was devised for Malta, and was applied to all equipment destined to be exposed to the enemy. All cars, trucks, motorcycles, field guns, tanks etc. were ‘given the treatment’. Even steel helmets were painted, and not only those used by the services but also those issued to the ARP, the Police, the Public Works, and others.

I would say they sanded down the original textured khaki green, applied the brown all over, or whatever colour they had to hand. Then applied the sand coloured paint which has sand added to it, easy to see where the sand in the paint with the brush strokes has pulled the paint away to expose the brown underneath. Thanks for the nice comment.

A very hard to find Malta stonewall camo, the owners name is written on the inside of the liner. LT.DEAS.