What happened to German helmets after the war?

[Hunter87]

Well now you know!

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=710_1477138924

[snayperskaya]

I can remember my nan having about 6 of them in her garden as plant pots!, each one had been flattened a bit on the top and had a hole in to let the water drain out.

[Dellboy]

I can remember my nan having about 6 of them in her garden as plant pots!, each one had been flattened a bit on the top and had a hole in to let the water drain out.

.303 hole ?

[saddler]

Just like the PatheNews clip then...

Quite a lot were also used post-war in Norway, various South American countries, etc.
Finland not only used several type of German helmet during what we call WW2, but re-ordered more of the M40 type from Germany in 1955. They also used several Swedish, Italian, Hungarian, Russian, Polish, French & even Finnish made helmets.

[snayperskaya]

I can remember my nan having about 6 of them in her garden as plant pots!, each one had been flattened a bit on the top and had a hole in to let the water drain out.

.303 hole ?

Pickaxe

[TomH]

They kept a few back:

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/germa ... an+helmets

Spot the No5's?

[Les]

I can remember my nan having about 6 of them in her garden as plant pots!, each one had been flattened a bit on the top and had a hole in to let the water drain out.

.303 hole ?

Pickaxe

Before or after they took them off the German soldiers?

[GeeRam]

They kept a few back:

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/germa ... an+helmets

Spot the No5's?

With bayonet lugs ground off.....

West German Border Guards.......and its this source that a relatively recent batch of surplus No.5's have come from.

[breacher]

I saw one turned into a sort of shovel in a museum at Normandy.
Along with wedding dresses of parachute material.

The Irish Free State bought surplus WW1 German helmets and issued them to their Army throughout WW2 !

[saddler]

I saw one turned into a sort of shovel in a museum at Normandy.
Along with wedding dresses of parachute material.

The Irish Free State bought surplus WW1 German helmets and issued them to their Army throughout WW2 !

The Irish Free State required so many German helmets that Vickers tooled up to make them!!
I can just imagine the reaction of the old & bold, having done their stint in F&F, getting told by the chargehand that next week your making German "coal skuttles".....bet he got told a few choice suggestions! (As well as ideas on where he could find a few original helmets, but they may need sluicing out & lick of paint first!)