Battle damaged helmet : Private R P Mallard, 45th Battalion AIF

Brodie combat helmet with battle damage to the top of the crown. The damage consists of an elongated indentation and puncture hole in the outer metal shell of the helmet measuring 70mm long by 25mm width. The hole through the entire helment and lining within this measures 57mm long by 15mm width. The rim of the helmet has been folded over as part of the manufacturing process. Stamped into one side of the lower side of the rim appears to read 'M/A107'. The lining of the helmet consists of several pieces. A large oval shaped natural leather head band forms the basis of the liner. The exterior surface of this band pushes against the inside of the metal outer shell. This leather head band has many loops cut into the leather each in turn fitted with a small oval shaped piece of rubber inside. A central cross leather piece for the liner is attached to inside of the apex via a copper nut. A small remnant of paper with some black ink writing is underneath the copper nut. The leather cross piece also feeds around to form the chin strap for the helmet. The chinstrap is looped through a pair of 'O' shaped metal rings which have been attached to the helmet by a pair of split pins. The chinstrap is complete with a metal sliding buckle.

A prominent black oil cloth split flap has been machine sewn into the leather head band providing a protective cover to the various smaller parts of the liner and to provide a small measure of comfort for the wearer. Under the flap on the right side is a rectangular shaped slightly smudged red ink stamp with the details 'BRODIES STEEL HELMET / Registered No 65199 / WAR OFFICE PATTERN / PATENT No. 11803/16'. A piece of thin cardboard paper has been folded into a 'U' shape and placed around the front half of the head band. The inner head band consists of a compartmentalised piece of cotton cloth filled with an unknown white coloured material sewn in. To the inside edge of this is sewn a circular piece of cotton string netting which is secured by a larger single drawstring which tied into a knot at one end.

The inner crown is constructed of a large green/grey coloured felt pad to protect the top of the wearers head. Under this felt pad can be seen a similiar shaped and sized thin piece of white asbestos. The puncture caused by the battle damage has gone through the outer metal shell, cotton cloth, felt and asbestos layers exposing their different distinctive colours and textures.

This battle damaged Brodie Mark I helmet relates to the military service and serious wounding of Private Raoul Peter Mallard at the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917.

Mallard was born in Balmain Sydney in 1886 and in 1909 he married Lily Hughes. At the time of his enlistment in April 1916 he was involved in the printing industry as a compositor at the G.P.O. Sydney. He had served eight years in the Militia prior to enlisting in the AIF on 27 April 1916 at Kiama. He embarked for overseas service on 8 November 1916 upon the SS Port Nicholson, disembarking at Devonport UK on 10 January 1917.

At the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917 he was wearing this helmet when he was struck in the head by enemy fire. Mallard was seriously wounded by the action and was able to keep the helmet during the period of his recovery in the United Kingdom. Due to the serious nature of his head injury he was deemed unable to continue frontline service and he returned to Australia on 31 December 1917. On 2 February 1918 he was medically discharged from the AIF. Raoul Mallard died on 11 January 1962.

This particular type of battlefield relic with a known provenance to the Australian wearer, date and location of action is rare. The excellent and intact original condition of the helmet liner is another rarity gives makes this particular helmet further historical and technological significance.

Over 7 and a half million of these Mark I model Brodie helmets were produced in the United Kingdom during the First World War. Australian troops were first issued these helmets in July 1916 and they were worn until the cessation of hostilities in November 1918.