| Place | Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Lebanon, Damour |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM32930 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Helmet |
| Physical description | Cotton webbing, Rubber, Steel |
| Location | Main Bld: World War 2 Gallery: Gallery 1 - Mediterranean: Lebanon-Syria |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | c 1940 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Steel Helmet: Gunner Reginald Sydney Cole, 2/1 Survey Regiment
Description
British pattern steel helmet that has received a glancing blow from a bullet. There is an entrance and exit hole that indicate that this was not a penetrating wound for its wearer but that the bullet followed the side of the helmet. The interior lining bears the number NX18225.
History / Summary
Reginald Sydney Cole was born on 18 November 1914 at Lewisbury, England. His family moved to Australia and he was working as a Federal public servant, living at Griffith in Canberra when he enlisted on 28 May 1940 at Paddington. He was assigned service number NX18225 and joined 2/1 Survey Regiment (part of the artillery responsible for counter battery work such as range sounding and flash spotting). He embarked for overseas service in Egypt. In June 1941 his unit was sent to Syria against the Vichy French. Cole was wounded in the head on 6 July and sent back to Australia to recover, bringing his damaged helmet with him.
On 18 December 1943, Cole married Iza Agness Anderson in Burwood Presbyterian Church – she was a worker at the AWA factory at Ashfield. After his marriage he transferred to 2/1 Australian Flash Spotting Battery, serving with them in the islands until he was discharged on 2 November 1945.