Chinese helmet?

[Dirk]

Anybody have any expertise in these? In a friends collection.

[patches]

Guess it's alright, the Nationalist Chinese got a load of M35 Helmets direct from Germany in the 30s, and when the helmet was first produced.

 

Here's one with  metal cockade applied rather then painted

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A Whole Formation wearing the type in the 30s.

[Dirk]

Heat lot # just out of a known range but I don’t know how definitive the list is 

[Hsin C.]

It looks like a very bad paint job to me.

[Dirk]

Thanks! That’s what was suspected….the dealer is know to push fakes 

[Maple Creek]

I don't think this one is authentic. Looks like a reissued M35. The helmet has a zinc liner with rounded chinstrap bales of the type used starting early 1940. This would be well after the Germans stopped supplying the Chinese with helmets. It doesn't make sense that this type of helmet would have found its way to Nationalist Chinese forces. As Dirk pointed out, the lot number is out of the current known range, which is 2072-3120. (This range based on personal research). Here's a link to an authentic one and some additional information on the type from my website: Chinese M35

[Dirk]

Maple creek thank you for weighing in as well…I passed along the bad news to the owner, but I suspect he knew what the result would be!  Again thank you! 

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Another one of the type helmet in use, here with one of them armed with a Polish Browning Automatic Rifle( Browning wz. 1928).

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And another, good shot of the decal/painted shield on this one.

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Not only with the German Helmet but with a German 37mm  Pak 36, in their theater this rather obsolent model gave pretty good service against the Japanese tank used then,  they being lightly armored.

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Another gift from Germany, the Sd.Kfz. 222 Armored Car, the Commanders wearing the M35s, not sure on the rest of the crews.

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In Shanghai, here chit chatting with a Tommy of the 1st Battalion  Royal Ulster Rifles in Shanghai in 1937, we guess just outside the International Settlement, Britain evacuated its garrisons from mainland Chinese cities, particularly Shanghai, only in August 1940.

 

The 1st Battalion  Royal Ulster Rifles would return to England and in due course be converted to a Glider infantry unit, goes into action on D-Day with the 6th Airborne Division.

[patches]

The German M35 Helmets evidently seen continued use well after the war with Japan ended, not sure with the Army itself, but with Police Departments. Here the Shanghai Police in 1948, the helmet painted a Gloss of an unknown  Dark Color has some kind Device affixed to it.

 

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A Red, I think during the post war Civil War, the captured helmet now has Red Star painted on it, would love to know if some of these German helmets were worn by the PVA during the Korean War.

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[bolo]

the Shanghai Police helmet is probably a glossy black

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Ahhh The Japanese used them too, captured ones, would love to know if these made it out of China and seen some issuance to forces say in the Philippines.

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One more with Japanese wearing it.

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Chinese BAR man, the Polish Browning Automatic Rifle( Browning wz. 1928)..

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These troops interestingly are in India 1942, no doubt that large force under the American General Joseph Stilwell, they are probably photoed around the time they arrived for assignment, and in due course will be equipped with British Helmets and those wide mesh Indian made helmet nets, as well as the other British gear etc.

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