Original British WWII P-1944 Turtle MK IV Steel Helmet by Briggs Motor Bodies – Dated 1945 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. As issued for use in the D-Day invasion of Europe in 1944; this is the next steel helmet pattern to be adopted by the British after the Dough Boy Brodie helmet of WWI. In use through the close of WWII and in regular use through Korea and the Falkland war. Helmets in this condition and color are extremely rare: it is the original WWII Brown color and in very good condition, with little sign of use.

This example has is maker marked on the inside of the shell, however it is quite faint and partially illegible. These markings are added before the helmets are stamped, so they get very stretched out. Comparing it to others we have had, we can make out the following markings:

[BM]B
D42 M[K4]

It also has a maker mark, date, and size on the original liner:

BMB
11
1945
7

Both the helmet and shell were made by Briggs Motor Bodies of Dagenham, England, who manufactured Brodie and MkIII helmets as well. The company also made dispatch rider helmets, and other types for the war effort.

Condition is very good, and perfect for any WWII collection. The chinstrap was originally elastic, however the rubber inside is degraded, as expected for being this old. It now is quite slack. This is the first example of these that we have had in years, and possibly the last we’ll have. Ready to display!

The Mk III Helmet was a steel military combat helmet developed for the British Army in 1941. First worn in combat by British and Canadian troops on D-Day, the Mk III was used alongside the Brodie helmet for the remainder of the Second World War. It is commonly referred to as the “turtle” helmet because of its resemblance to a turtle shell.

The Mark III helmet was designed to provide better protection for the side of the head than its predecessor. It was a deeper helmet with a smaller brim and provided 38% more protection than the Mark II, particularly at the sides. The Mark III helmet was issued primarily to assault troops for the Normandy invasion in June 1944, and a large number of helmets from British stocks were issued to the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division in addition to British units. Small numbers also went to the 2nd and 4th Canadian Divisions. All Mark III helmets in Canadian stores were returned to the UK shortly after the end of the Second World War.

The Mk III was itself replaced close to the end the war by the Mark IV helmet, which it closely resembled. The differences were that the rivets attaching the chinstrap to the helmet were placed much lower down on the shell and the use of a ‘lift the dot’ fastener for the liner. These modifications allowed the Mk IV to be utilized for carrying water. The Mark IV helmet was eventually replaced by the Mark V, which looked similar to the MK IV, but had a more padded liner. The Mark V was used until the late-1980s at which point the British replaced all steel helmets with the Mark 6, which was made from nylon fiber.