Original British WWII Medic P-1944 Turtle MK IV Steel Helmet – Dated 1945 Original Items

Original Item: One Only.

The British “Turtle” helmet was first Issued for use in the D-Day invasion of Europe in 1944; the MkIV is the second version of this steel helmet pattern to be adopted by the British after the Dough Boy Brodie helmet of WWI. This particular MkIV helmet is one that was marked and issued for a Medic, which makes it very rare and highly desirable. It has a red cross in a white circle on both sides, and is dated 1945. The paint is in great condition for the age, though much of the paint on the stainless steel rim has worn off.

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 at the end of 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.