WW2 Mk 111 Canadian issued helmet
 

See http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161197752589

What does the "144" stand for?

H.

Hanno,

According to my copy of 'CAMT 1-36 Staff Procedures, Volume 3, Staff Duties in the Field (1963)' the serial number 144 was a Corps allocation to the third of four Light Anti-Aircraft Regiments assigned to an air defence brigade within the Corps Artillery. The serial allocation (on an artillery red/blue unit sign) went as follows:
140 Artillery Brigade (Air Defence)
141 SAGW (Surface to Air Guided Weapon) Regiment
142 LAA Regiment
143 LAA Regiment
144 LAA Regiment
145 LAA Regiment.

A second Artillery Brigade (Air Defence) would have had the serial numbers 150-155.

My guess is that the artillery unit sign and serial are post-war insignia from the British 1st Corps in Germany. Unfortunately, I don't have any information (as yet) as to when, where and which units made up the air defence artillery brigades.

Cheers,
Dan.

144
 

Pfft! That's a gross of whatever. He was sequentially the 144th man in line for kit issue when the helmets were first issued. They're all serialized, don't ya' know .... :thup2:

Dan,

Thanks for the insight!

Hanno

PS: for reference - winning bid was £32.53 for this helmet without liner

PS2: Terry, thanks for the laughs :)