Original British WWII Air Raid Precautions Painted Brodie MkII Steel Helmet – Dated 1939 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very good example of a genuine British -manufactured Mark II steel helmet, painted for use by a British Air Raid Precautions member. These are such an iconic piece of WWII History, reminiscent of the German “Blitz” over England, and are rarely found today! The shell has been painted black, and has the standard “ARP” painted on the front of the helmet.

The stamping on the underside of the rim is faint, and faintly legible. Either way, it’s definitely a correct original MkII Shell. We tested the shell, and it is non-magnetic, so it is proper “Hadfield” manganese steel.

The shell does have some dents and wear, and the overall shape is slightly bent. The paint job is well retained, showing the expected wear from service, especially on the stainless steel rim.

The original liner on this helmet is intact, and shows evidence of long years of service. The oil cloth is worn around the edge in places, and the rubber top pad shows slight wear and is completely unattached. Original maker markings are visible inside the liner in addition to a size marking “6 ¾”, and an inspectors stamp which has a “1939” beneath a “I”. The liner is marked TTC having been made by Teddy Toy Co Ltd. of Dagenham.

This helmet does not appear to have been repainted, so most likely it was originally made for shipment to Great Britain to use during the Blitz, and painted the standard A.R.P green. It may have even been stenciled in Canada, which thankfully had no need for the A.R.P..
Definitely an interesting bit of WWII Memorabilia. Ready to display.

More about the A.R.P.:
Air Raid Precautions (ARP) was an organization in the United Kingdom set up in 1937 dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air raids. It included the Raid Wardens’ Service that was to report on bombing incidents. Every local council was responsible for organizing ARP wardens, messengers, ambulance drivers, rescue parties and liaison with police and fire brigades.

September 1st, 1939, ARP Wardens enforced the “blackout”. Heavy curtains and shutters were required on all private residences, commercial premises, and factories to prevent light escaping and so making them a possible target for enemy bombers to locate their targets. With increased enemy bombing during the Blitz, the ARP services were central in reporting and dealing with bombing incidents. They managed the air raid sirens and ensured people were directed to shelters.

From 1941 the ARP officially changed its title to Civil Defense Service to reflect the wider range of roles it then encompassed. During the war almost 7,000 Civil Defense workers were killed. In all, some 1.4 million men and women served as ARP wardens during World War Two. The Civil Defense Service was stood down after the end of the war in Europe on 2 May 1945.

The ARP Services were to include several specialist branches. First Aid Parties were trained to give first response first aid to those injured in bombing incidents.