Italian M-33 helmet from Stalingrad

I collect helmets too-though I only have two in my collection at this time. This is NOT an Italian helmet-the "hole" is also not in the right place. I have photos of Russian Soldiers wearing this exact helmet. I think Skipper posted one of those photos for me in the thread he started for me where he posted my photos for me. The photo I speak about has two captured Russian Soldiers in them-one wearing THIS helmet-and is being interrorgated by a German Officer. The 2nd man however, is not wearing a helmet but is wearing a "Pilotka" sidecap and is smoking a "fag."

These two helmets are almost EXACTLY identical-but this helmet pictured above-is NOT Italian.

Also, please refer to photos and information that is abundant in Jason Marks excellent book: "Island of Fire." In this book you will see photos of the helmet in wear and will see that I am right.

Cheers-C.

PS, I have also seen a few documentaries lately what show the Russian wearing this excact same model of helmet. These docs were mentioned by name in a thread in the War Movies forum.

Also, the Russians did have helmets they were early war-that are "Adrians" and they also wore a model that either was-modelled after the American classical GI "Steel Pot" or some units wore "Lend-Lease" GI pots.

The only other thing I can come up with, is that maybe the Russians also wore a helmet that looks like the Italian version-baseed on the fact that I have seen Russian "Adrians" in wear and on Militaria sites as well as I have seen photos of their "GI" steel pots in wear.

According to Jason Mark, the Italians that indeed were stationed at Stalingrad were left to their own devices-after being used as driver who transported at least one of those attached Pioneer battalions-to STalingrad. I don't remember the number he stated but it was a unit that had less than 20 men in it including their commander and the number most likely is less than 30 and maybe as low as in the low 20s.

Saying that this rusted relic was an Italian helmet found at Stalingrad-is like saying that the Grossdeutschland Division did not fight in the Battle of Kursk.

IF this helmet has anything to do with the Italians-which it does not) it would not be a Stalingrad "find."

 

Check your Italian info again please. Like I just stated an excellent source above-read Jason Marks book before quoting a strange number as at least 77 Italians were killed @ Stalingrad-which is in great error on the part of the source (whatever source that is?) that you got this info from. Italian helmets of this kind have TWO "airholes" in them one on each side. The Russian pots do not. Anyway, your Italian "KiA" at Stalingrad number is much higher than the amount of Truck Drivers that transported the German Pioneer Battallions to Stalingrad.

Please name your source on this because I would like any error on this to be put to rest.

 

I have an Italian book "Noi moriamo a Stalingrado" that tells the story of the 77 italian soldiers trapped in the pocket. The men were from autoreparti 127 and 248 that were bringing supplies and reinforcements into the city from the railhead. The book quotes Jason Mark but also some original letters sent home by the trapped men and Italian census and army records to track the 77 men.

 

OK, maybe Jason Marks number is wrong but that still has absolutely no proof of the helmet in question being an Italian one found in Stalingrad. I do wonder-if the Russians used actual Italian helmets only to pick them up from some battlefield, send them to a repair shop that repainted them??? Thats as far as I can go on the Russian helmet being an Italian one. In other words-Italian Helmets reissued to Russians???? But no, the photo I have and quote with, clearly shows the exact same style of helmet in wear by the prisoner being questioned.