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Named Japanese Army helmet (vet bring back) with 1st pattern cover


Leo
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Picked this up a few months ago but havent had any time between work and family to post on here until now.

 

I posted this on another website and thought I would show all here ,

 

Heavily theatre used helmet with some incredible hand engravings inside by the soldier.

He must have been the units bugler, as can be seen in the pics.

 

 

I identify the following characters.

百五▢ 105 + some symbol?

三宮隊 Sannomiya/Sanguu party

岡▢上ト兵 -maybe→ 岡崎上等兵 Okazaki, Private First Class

 

There is also in blue kanji on one of the pads the surname - Uchida as pointed out by another member.

 

The first pattern camo cover has been field fixed showing tons of use, there is also black sand and mud still on some of the material which for me is just very cool.

 

Inside by the crown is also a dry clay or mud, the cover is completely stuck to the helmet and clearly never been off it.

 

The grouping was bought back by a Seabee stationed on Guam along with the canteen. They both bare the same tags issued by the navy for bring back items.

 

Enjoy and thanks for looking

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Beautiful helmet, these Japanese helmets with covers and nets are very tough to find. Doesn't get too much better than this

Thankyou Wake

 

Im very lucky to be the caretaker of this grouping

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Leo,

Great unit....the cover is not a standard 1st pattern army cover. This is a rare Manchurian made cover and just one of several theater made covers used by the IJA. I have seen 5 of these covers over the years. Clearly this cover has plenty of field wear with a number of repairs which was made easier because the cover is unlined. The covers I have seen have variations in the type of insignia. Several covers have no insignia (as does this cover) but you can see the impression of the helmet star on the helmet in 2 photos. However, 2 covers have a painted white star on the front or a more standard yellow cloth star sewn to the cover. One cover I have seen has both a white painted star partially covered by a cloth star. Some of the covers have a QM stamp on the interior and others do not. Its difficult to say whether the QM stamp is missing due to repairs or wear to the cover or it wasn't there originally. All of the examples of this cover have a lot of wear and repairs. What really sets this cover apart are the two vent holes on each side of the crown that can be seen in the pictures. The covers that I have seen are dated later 1930's and were made in Manchuria....this seems likely a temporary solution due to the shortage of covers in that particular area. The Manchurian helmet, cover and net in my collection has a net sewn directly to the cover. It was part of a grouping from an American Air Corps officer with a photo of him wearing the helmet and holding several other captured Japanese souvenirs. The officer was stationed in the CBI theater. I assume that as troops were moved, the covers came with them.

Nice piece Leo....

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Leo,

Great unit....the cover is not a standard 1st pattern army cover. This is a rare Manchurian made cover and just one of several theater made covers used by the IJA. I have seen 5 of these covers over the years. Clearly this cover has plenty of field wear with a number of repairs which was made easier because the cover is unlined. The covers I have seen have variations in the type of insignia. Several covers have no insignia (as does this cover) but you can see the impression of the helmet star on the helmet in 2 photos. However, 2 covers have a painted white star on the front or a more standard yellow cloth star sewn to the cover. One cover I have seen has both a white painted star partially covered by a cloth star. Some of the covers have a QM stamp on the interior and others do not. Its difficult to say whether the QM stamp is missing due to repairs or wear to the cover or it wasn't there originally. All of the examples of this cover have a lot of wear and repairs. What really sets this cover apart are the two vent holes on each side of the crown that can be seen in the pictures. The covers that I have seen are dated later 1930's and were made in Manchuria....this seems likely a temporary solution due to the shortage of covers in that particular area. The Manchurian helmet, cover and net in my collection has a net sewn directly to the cover. It was part of a grouping from an American Air Corps officer with a photo of him wearing the helmet and holding several other captured Japanese souvenirs. The officer was stationed in the CBI theater. I assume that as troops were moved, the covers came with them.

Nice piece Leo....

Thank you Tiger41

 

As always your knowledge on the subject of Japanese military items astounds me.

Great post and lots of information on my helmet and Cover. Sheds lots of light on it as finding information on these rare covers is difficult as very few examples exist.

 

 

Thanks again

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Thank you....I wish I knew as much as I think I do. Can you look under the front leather liner pad for the date. I'm curious what it is (that is if you can see it without doing any damage to the liner or cover)

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Thank you....I wish I knew as much as I think I do. Can you look under the front leather liner pad for the date. I'm curious what it is (that is if you can see it without doing any damage to the liner or cover)

Of course I can .

 

Ill get that for you tonight tiger41

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What a great helmet with so many neat things brought together in one lid. That Manchurian made cover is beyond incredible showing honest wear and tear!

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