MK.III helmet with decal

Hello

I've received this Mk.III helmet with decal last week. The helmet was left in Zutphen (Holland) 1945. The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division has liberated the village Zutphen in 1945. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFi_140U_Go

I think this helmet could belonged to the North Shore Regiment but I'm not sure. Can someone give me more information to this helmet?

Regards Jordy (from the Netherlands)

Enlarged the picture for you, Nice helmet!

You may want to resize your avatar a bit so it doesn't flood into your posts. Makes it hard to read sometimes.

Forgot to mention...it almost looks like a 1st Armoured Brigade flash. Could be mistaken though.

Can you resize the avatar for me?

I received a email from someone with a link to the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy. He told me they have also a Mk.III helmet with exactly the same decal. So I have sent a email to the Juno Beach Centre. I received the following reply:

Yes those markings indicate belonging to the 8th Canadian Infantry of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, and bear the North Shore New Brunswick Regiment.
The helmet we have on display bears the same markings as the one you have. The one in our museum is on loan from a local collector

Are there more collectors on this forum with a helmet of the North Shore Regt?

I would treat that e-mail with caution as the helmet on display in the centre is from another collector, which does not mean that the helmet is correct. I have been to the JUNO Beach Centre and their collection contains a number or reprodctions and made-up items posing as authentic pieces.

Like painted US M1 Helmets, painted Canadian Mk II and Mk III helmets have become hot commodities which unfortunately could lead to fakes.

I have a few flashes identified on my page at http://www.servicepub.com/helmetflashes.htm although this one is not shown. If it is ever confirmed please let me know as I would like to add it.
Clive

Are there no collectors at this forum who can help me and can give me good information about the decal?
Does somebody has a email address of the North Shore Regt. in Canada for me?

Clive I let you know when I know something about the decal for sure. Indeed the decal wasn't shown at your website.

The problem you are running into with decaled or unit marked helmets is that thier Canadian use is not well documented and has not been researched to any great depth. Clive's site certainly does a great job illustrates a number of examples but you have to be careful as in some cases unit marked, WWII manufactured helmets were used by the Canadian Army into the early 1960s which makes seperating the wartime examples very difficult if not impossible.

In the case of Mk IIIs, these were used by the British Army up until the late 1970s and some of these helmets were unit marked as well. Compound this with the close ties between Canada and the UK you can potentially get UK colour combinations that can be mistaken for Canadian.

There is also the added problem that European collectors are very keen to own unit marked helmets which can potentially lead to reproductions being sold as originals. Per capita there seem to be more marked Canadian helmets in Europe then there are in Canada which for me anyway raises some concerns.

The North Shore New Brunswick Regiment was only reconstituted last year and I am not sure if they have a museum. Again be careful what museums tell you as you should be drawing your information from several sources. Just type North Shore New Brunswick Regiment and you will get a link to the regiment.

Thanks for your answer. The helmet was left in 1945 and is for sure original and untouched. The helmet is not used after 1945.
The village was liberated by the 3rd Can. Inf. div. 8th and 9th Brigade.
I have seen many 3rd Div helmets in collections and museum but not the North Shore, I thought it could be the NSR because they were in 1945 also at Zutphen and I haven't seen a NSR decal before.

And later I received a email from someone who tolt me to contact the Juno Beach Centre. They have the same helmet with information that the helmet belonging to the NSR.

jm wrote:
And later I received a email from someone who tolt me to contact the Juno Beach Centre. They have the same helmet with information that the helmet belonging to the NSR.

The helmet decal 'may' be that of the NSR but the provenance is sketchy. Unfortunately, the Juno Beach Centre is not a centre of excellence when it comes to identifying Canadian militaria. In fact, there are few miitary museums that have the capabilities to identify all the items brought in. This expertise is usually held by individual collectors who invest time and resources in research and reference but who do not hold the educational background that would permit employment in such an institution, while those employed by museums seldom know much about the actual artifacts unless they are well documented and the references are close at hand.

On my next visit to the archives photo collection I will keep an eye open for photos that may help resolve the question.

Clive

I m writting you from France (Normandy)and I am a new member on the forum then excuse me for my english.

Your helmet is absolutly fantastic. I think it's a 3rd canadian division helmet (North shore regiment).
If you want to sold to sell it I'am ready.