Canadian Mk. II Helmet with Israeli Overpaint and Insignia.

[leigh kitchen]

Rather the worse for wear, a Canadian made Mk. II Helmet.
Stamped on the underside of the rim is "CL/C1942" (Canadian Motor Lamp Company, 1942).
The liner is affixed by a hammered aluminium "nail" rather than a nut and bolt.
I can't make out any markings on the liner.
The paint finish is possibly a khaki with a slight sheen, which has been overpainted a matt khaki brown which is in turn overpainted white with a blue band and a red insignia (which is a Hebrew letter?).
When I got the helmet years ago I thought that it was probably one that found its way out to the middle east with the British and stayed out that way with Israeli Civil Defence.
I later saw photos of Israeli military police wearing similarly painted and "badged" helmets albeit they were American M1 helmets or similar.

Civil Defence or military, does anyone know please?

[JerryBB]

Typical Israeli reused MKII, the liner mounting with the nail/rivet rather than a bolt is standard for them.

I can't help on the body with which it ended its service.

I have a WWI MKI reused by the allies during WWII as a MKI* and then reused post WWII by the IDF with riveted liner and camo overpaint in brown over the green and later again as a medic helmet.

[leigh kitchen]

They're interesting lids, like many of the "unglamorous" WWII British Home Front helmets I think they were the sort of thing that used to lay around in army surplus stores unloved and unwanted until they sold for pennies.
Your Israeli helmet sounds very interesting.

[JerryBB]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

They're interesting lids, like many of the "unglamorous" WWII British Home Front helmets I think they were the sort of thing that used to lay around in army surplus stores unloved and unwanted until they sold for pennies.
Your Israeli helmet sounds very interesting.

They no longer sell for pennies......sadly

I have a few IDF helmets, the MKI, an MI clone and an Orlite.

[leigh kitchen]

Always the problem now - cost. It's good that these things are appreciated nowadays but with that comes an increasing price tag.

[JerryBB]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

Always the problem now - cost. It's good that these things are appreciated nowadays but with that comes an increasing price tag.

Indeed.

The MI was a cheap price but the P&P was very high which they now count as part of the cost of an import which meant I also had to pay vat/import charges on it......

[leigh kitchen]

At one time I used to buy a fair amount from American sellers but not any more, postage and charges have priced me out.
I decided not to buy a 1920--ish dated RM (RM, not RMA badged) colour sergeants tunic as postage would've added about 20 - 30% to the already fairly hefty cost and the seller wouldn't post other than via eBay's global whatever. He ended up reducing his price and selling it in the US rather than selling it to me at full whack but not via eBay's postage scheme.
It's a problem I've had even with small items, postage doubles the cost.

The last things I bought from America were a RTR officers Astrakhan beret and a few other things including badges just to make best use of the postage I was already paying.

I'll post a thread showing the rather sad Astrakhan beret I got.

[JerryBB]

in the case of the IDF MI clone, the postage was double the price of the helmet whilst the charges were slightly more than the cost of it, making it more than 300% extra for postage and charges. Strangely enough it still worked out cheaper than buying one from Israel and not seen on in the UK recently to compare prices against.

I saw your RAC Astrakhan beret.....I can understand why they were not popular.

[leigh kitchen]

I'm priced out of the foreign market now, very seldom do I purchase from abroad, simply down to postage and tax

I have just found the only positive comment I've ever seen in print about the astrakhan beret and the OR's equivalent, so somebody mourned their passing.

[leigh kitchen]

Looks like IDF MPs wear two characters and a red band on a white helmet rather than the single (different) character and blue band as on the Mk. II helmet I show.
I'm suspecting it's Civil Defence or similar.

[Tinhat]

Just came across this thread, the letter on the front is a Hebrew 'P' for Pekach, Warden. The blue line is a rank of some sort.

Attached is a photo of a warden group from a synagogue with similar helmets.

Late 50 / 60s I think.

Steve