New Zealand MKII

General Information: The first soldiers who embarked from New Zealand during the Second World War arrived without helmets. They were supplied with British MKIIs and, in some cases, South African-made MKIIs. The New Zealand armed forces ordered helmets from Britain, but because of shortages, a decision was made to import 40,000 helmet shells from Australia.Continue reading “New Zealand MKII”

Australian MKII

General Information: The Australian Mark II was a domestically produced version of the British Mark II. The two helmets were very similar, but unlike its British cousin, the Australian MKII had a raw edge. The reason for this is that the company that produced the helmets, Commonwealth Steel Company, lacked the machinery necessary to bendContinue reading “Australian MKII”