Steel [Brodie] Helmet belonging to Lieutenant Colonel Ferrie with a Seaforth (tartan and stag's head) decal. The decal is on the right side but it is supposed to be on left. Stamped "HBH 19 ?? / No. ??? HBH. = Harrison Bros. & Howson, Sheffield. 1938 - 1940. NOT SURE IF HELMET WAS RECEIVED IN A TRADE OR IT WAS TRADED OFF. From 1936, the Mark I Brodie helmet was fitted with an improved liner and an elasticated (actually, sprung) webbing chin strap. This final variant served until late 1940, when it was superseded by the slightly modified Mk II, which served the British and Commonwealth forces throughout World War II. Several Commonwealth nations, such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, produced local versions of the MK II, which can be distinguished from those made in Britain. In 1938, as preparations for war intensified, new helmet bodies were pressed, and these were designated the Helmet, Steel, Mk.II. Some 12 million were produced plus those manufactured by other Commonwealth countries. Made of 0.98 mm non-magnetic manganese with a stainless steel non-magnetic rim, the Mk.II weighed 1.05 kg. The dome and the rim were both less circular than the Mk.I, and were more cleanly pressed, without the rippling often seen in Mk.I helmets. The body is about 5mm wider and 5mm shorter than the Mk.I body. After the outbreak of war, the Mk.II underwent other modifications to meet supply contingencies. In 1939, rectangular Mk.III chin-strap lugs, which allowed the strap to be removed more easily, were introduced. The new smaller Mk.II lining retention bolt (see top photo) with an octagonal elastic stop nut was introduced in 1940 and from 1941; a simple elastic Mk.III chin-strap replaced the much more complex Mk.II type. A Chin-strap Mk.III* has a non-elasticized piece in the centre. During this period, the helmet was also used by the police, the fire brigade and ARP wardens in Britain. The helmets for the ARP wardens came in two principal variants, black with a white "W" for wardens and white with a black "W" for Chief Wardens, however numerous different patterns were used.[12] A civilian pattern was also available for private purchase, known as the Zuckerman helmet, which was a little deeper but made from ordinary mild steel. Procurement of Canadian versions of the British Mk.II helmet was initiated in January 1940, with the first contracts issued in late May. Some 1.1 million helmets were produced between 1940 and 1943 by Canadian Lamp Company of Windsor, General Steelwares and Aluminum Goods of Canada (both of Toronto). The total included 155,000 mild steel helmets made by GSW in 1942 for the Department of Pensions and Health for use by the Air-Raids Precautions Service (ARP). These have their lugs welded, not riveted to the rim. Mild steel ARP helmets have no date or batch number and but are marked G.S.W. DP&H The Canadian Mk.II was made of 0.825 mm non-magnetic Hadfield manganese steel, giving them a v50 ballistic resistance of 900 ft./sec (270 m/s) They retained, throughout their 1940-43 production run, the features of the British pattern, as it was in late 1939, with the square Mk.II lugs, the web and springs Mk.II chin-strap (with a finer weave than on British chin-straps) and the wide brass Mk.I lining securing bolt with a domed nut. There were minor variations over time to the chin-strap and the lining. The earliest chin-straps differed from the standard British (and later Canadian) pattern by having a blackened brass buckle with two closed centre struts, and only one piece of webbing joining the two sprung pieces. After 1940, Canadian straps, like the British ones, had two strips of webbing, one of which has a free sewn-over end, the other of which sewn to the centre strut of a buckle which, like the British pattern, has 3 struts - the two side ones being open. Helmet bodies were marked with the manufacturer's logo, their year of manufacture and a batch number or letter. Canadian Lamp Co bodies bore the marking C.L. /C. and a number. General Steel Wares Aluminium Goods used respectively the logos G.S.W. and A.G. /C. and a letter to indicate the batch. As the official Canadian designation for the helmet bodies was Body Mk.I to Helmet, Steel Mk.II. GSW stamped Mk.I on its helmets. All Canadian linings were made by the Viceroy Manufacturing Company of Toronto are stamped with the size, model date and the company logo V.M.C. A minor change was instituted in linings ordered after July, 1941; these were fitted with steel wire clips to retain the rubber buffers on the lining band - a feature never found in UK-made helmets. A further modification was introduced in late 1942 or early 1943; when the position of the buffers and placement of the vertical bands was altered to allow a deeper more comfortable fit. The linings with the buffer retention spring were designated the Lining Mk.II those without springs were retroactively designated the Lining Mk.I. In 1944, the British replaced it with a significantly modified design, known as the Mk III "Turtle" helmet.