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BFC helmet....

Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:47 am
by Schwartz Vogel
Bill, I see on your website, that you have a `tommy` helmet with German markings on it. Is it thought that the BFC wore such helmets, or would they have worn the German type?

SV.

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:51 am
by Wilhelm
The helmet is owned by a German reenactor friend of mine, the
insignia looks original and has an original feel about it.

It may have been "proposed" for the BFC, or earlier L of St.G.
and turned down for use.

Or it may have been used by a German Flak unit, who are known to
have used foreign helmets within Germany. But I have not seen
any records stating Tommy Helmets were ever worn.

A mystery and sadly I can find no documentation.

Cheers, Bill.

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:39 pm
by NOMAD
I was shown a helmet like that at Thorpe camp last year and the owner said it was used on the channel islands

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:49 pm
by Schwartz Vogel
Hi Bill thanks for getting back to me on this one. I assume you use the box standard German coal scuttle type, when re enacting?

Nomad, interesting concept, but didn`t the Channel islands fall right at the beginning of the war, when Germany was its strongest, and wouldn`t have needed to use British kit? Just thinking outside the box? I suppose they might have got their hands on a load of them after Dunkirk maybe?

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:45 am
by NOMAD
That's true Schwartz Vogel , I agree but the guy who showed me the helmet said he bought it from an auction of stuff from the C I, I must admit your right about not having to use Dunkirk kit but then look at the U boat crews being kitted out in uniforms from Dunkirk .anyway that's going off topic ....

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:03 pm
by Schwartz Vogel
NOMAD wrote:That's true Schwartz Vogel , I agree but the guy who showed me the helmet said he bought it from an auction of stuff from the C I, I must admit your right about not having to use Dunkirk kit but then look at the U boat crews being kitted out in uniforms from Dunkirk .anyway that's going off topic ....
Didn`t know about the U Boat crews, do go into more details. Am i right in thinking that the German military used shirts made out of human hair or is this a myth?

i`d like to think it was from the BFC, but as you say its very doubtful I assume they would have been issued with the coal skuttle type of helmet, especially given the fact that they issued them with MP44!! No ammo mind ho,ho,ho,ho

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 10:31 am
by NOMAD
apparently Schwartz Vogel the German U boat crews wore British battle dress in the boats as they were captured, but not on show as such, all they did was change the buttons to the kreigsmarine button and used them as work uniforms in U boats , the clothes made of human hair ? well that's a new one on me I have read that cloth in concentration camps was made out of hair but whether it was human or not who knows

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 12:00 pm
by Wilhelm
Ammo issued to BFC during POW camp visits.

The BFC were isuued side arms, but only three rounds per man.
This was so that they could protect themselves if things turned
nasty during a POW recruiting drive. It was reasoned that three
rounds would be enough before the guards could come to their rescue.

Cheers, Bill.

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:46 pm
by Schwartz Vogel
Wilhelm wrote:Ammo issued to BFC during POW camp visits.

The BFC were isuued side arms, but only three rounds per man.
This was so that they could protect themselves if things turned
nasty during a POW recruiting drive. It was reasoned that three
rounds would be enough before the guards could come to their rescue.

Cheers, Bill.

Cheers Bill thats really interesting.

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:59 pm
by Salacious Crumb
NOMAD wrote:That's true Schwartz Vogel , I must admit your right about not having to use Dunkirk kit but then look at the U boat crews being kitted out in uniforms from Dunkirk .anyway that's going off topic ....
The Germans used almost every foreign uniform that looked a bit German. They dyed them all feldgrau or other colours. The Germans captured a lot of Dutch tropical helmets and you can see them often on German heads in Crete, Italy and Africa. The Flemish and Walloon Guards where issued Belgian uniforms which where dyed dark blue. the Flemmish Guard wher issued Dutch helmets and the Walloons Belgian Adrian helmets. The prisoners in the Concentration camp Breendonk where issued Belgium uniforms, the prisoners in the camp Vught where issued Dutch uniforms. They didn't waste anything, it was war!

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:30 pm
by Franz repper
Ingo Hoffmann wrote:I have found before a German cloth pilots badge that was padded out with Human hair , They must have used human hair for otherthings also or why keep the hair taken from inmates in the camps?
Good sir a common thing that was used was horse hair it is used still in the 60s for padding on car seats

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:54 pm
by Franz repper
Ingo Hoffmann wrote:Hello Franz this was human hair i do know the difference between Horse hair and human hair , The Germans used Human hair for alot of uses it can also be found used as padding in some Optic cases , Yes Human hair not Horse hair , Yes they also used Horse hair which can be seen used as padding in Saddles for Horses
Why thank you Ingo for your polite reply ,yet again you have not read what I have posted .I stated that horse hair was used at no point did I say you was wrong with your post .

Re: BFC helmet....

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:25 pm
by John Wilson
This started as a thread about interesting decals on a helmet, can we all please keep it as that?