Paratrooper steel helmet, British pattern : 1 Australian Parachute Battalion

British pattern paratrooper's steel helmet. Known as the first pattern, the helmet incorporates a one inch (26 mm) fibre band encircling the external rim. It is complete with the early black heavy leather harness with chin cup which was replaced later with one made from khaki coloured webbing; this was then later replaced with the original leather again, leaving a spare rivet hole at the rear. One rear rivet is also missing. The liner is of one inch sponge rubber, backing a brown leather sweatband, with a white cotton tape and cord adjustment system inside the crown. The sweatband is manufacturer marked 'BMB 1942, 6 7/8'. The external shell of the helmet has been painted a charcoal colour but the interior retains its original khaki; both colours employ sand in the paint mixture.

Not known. British pattern paratrooper's helmet as adopted and used by 1 Australian Paratroop Battalion in their airbourne assault on the Markham Valley, New Guinea in September 1943.