eire m27 vickers
Model: M27 Vickers
Year: 1925-1927
Manufacturer: Vickers Ltd. (Great Britain)
Size: S (small - small)
Pot markings: V.LTD _cc781905-5cde-31905cde-319b8d3c3d5
Garrison marking: T.SMITH & SON – DUBLIN 1927
After Ireland's independence from Great Britain in 1922, a civil war broke out in the new country, and it was not until it ended in 1925 that Ireland began to build its new army. Given the recent independence from Great Britain, the new state of Ireland refused to use the same elements as the British Army. Thus, through the mediation of the German Consulate in Dublin, the supply of German M16 model helmets was contracted, but as Germany was prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles to export war material, the English factory had to be commissioned vickers ltd. the manufacture of the new helmet according to the design of the German M16. The inner trim was made in Dublin by T.Smith & Son.
Originally these helmets were painted blackish green and had a frontal emblem with the letters “FF” -fianna fail (Irish for the destination) and with the legendÓglaigh na h - Éireann (soldiers from Ireland).
10,021 helmets were supplied. The steel of these new helmets was weaker than the original German design, yet the helmet was in use in the Irish Army until 1940, when World War II began, Ireland prepared for the defense of the country, and for se was forced to intervene in the war (The Emergency) equipping the Irish army with the English modelMKII.
The old model helmets available to the Irish Army in 1940 were painted white to be used by civil defense and firefighters.
Later, already in the 70s, around 4,000 M27 helmets were destroyed, which served to reinforce the foundations of new barracks.
