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Interesting Articles.

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Not without my helmet! The tin helmet escape attempt.
by Dorrell. August 2018.

It is mid-war 1942, Singapore has fallen to the Japanese, the British have secured a key victory against the Deutsch Afrika Korps at El Alamein, while the Russians are making an epic stand in Stalingrad which will eventually turn the tide of war on the Eastern Front against the Germans once and for all.
 
However, for a few inmates at the Italian run Prisoner of War Camp 57, situated near Udine, close to the Italian Slovenian border, all this may have seemed a whole world away as dramatic events were unfolding. 19 brave Australians and New Zealanders were preparing to make their last dash to freedom from a tunnel they had painstakingly dug under the camp, hiding the earth below floorboards in various prison huts.
Picture
Desert camo steel helmet, as worn by the British and Commonwealth forces in North Africa.
Amongst the Aussies was Royal Australian Air Force Wireless Operator Eric Canning, who was captured in North Africa in 1941 and now found himself part of the escape team. This was to be Canning's second escape attempt. Armed with only a liberated pickaxe and a stack of Mk.2 steel helmets, to dig and move soil, the escapers worked tirelessly over 6 weeks to burrow a way out of the camp. Despite a few hairy moments during the dig and the escape the tunnel remained undiscovered.


The goal was to head through Northern Italy towards Switzerland, over the Julian Alps, alas this wasn't meant to be. A mixture of bad timing or bad luck saw the escapers recaptured after several days, having had the misfortune to find themselves amongst a recuperating unit of Italian soldiers!
 

Despite the attempt failing the courage and determination of these fine young men should not be forgotten. Furthermore, the use of tommy helmets as a improvised shovel was ingenious. The design of the British and Commonwealth helmet goes back to the first Brodie helmet developed and introduced in 1916 during the First World War, often referred to as the Battlefield Bowler. Its wide brim and deep crown design with its easily removable oilcloth lining definitely lent itself to POW's task at hand. ​
Picture
The Mk.II tin helmet liner could be removed by unscrewing the crown securing bolt.

​Source: ABC News. You can read the full interview with ABC's Lucy Shannon and Mr Canning at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-04-23/unsung-veteran-recalls-tin-hat-tunnel-escape/408784. For further reading about Campo 57 please visit: http://www.grupignano.com/about.html

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  • HQ
  • BOOKS
    • Reference Books
  • ARTICLES
    • Helmets
      • Euroclones - An essentiel collector's guide
      • Helmet trends
      • Les Casques Militaires des Etats de l'Amerique Latin
      • M1 v. M75 An essential comparison: US M1 and Austrian M75 steel helmets.
      • Not without my helmet!
      • The M1 Helmet of World War Two - A Basic Overview.
      • THE HISTORY OF THE RUSSIAN STEEL HELMET 1916-1945
      • Showcase: A beginner's guide to COMPOSITE HELMETS.
      • 10 other uses for military helmets
    • Uniforms and Headgear
      • An introduction to British and Commonwealth WWII Officer's peak caps.
      • Anodised Aluminium: The ‘No Bull’ Cap Badge of the British Army
      • British Officers’ Peak Caps of the Second World War
      • Grunt
      • Understanding Austrian Army caps
    • Shows & Events
      • A trip to a museum
      • HGM Auf Radern & Ketten 2016 review
    • General Interest
      • A guide to selling your militaria.
      • Action Guide
      • A Time to Reflect
      • Dad's Army – the movie!
      • Forgotten Hope 2 PC game
      • Last Execution
      • Matthew Cook – War Artist
      • Radio Controlled mini submarine review: T2M B2 Sub Explorer II
      • The History of the Springfield M1903 Rifle
      • The Mysterious Lt. Dr. Humphry By James Katzenstein
      • The South African Air Force in colour
      • ​Three Reasons Why War Memorabilia Collecting is a Viable Investment Strategy
    • Bookshelf
      • An End of Empire
      • An exciting new book series from Pen & Sword Books
      • French Warships
      • From Colonial Warrior to Western Front Flyer. The Five wars of Sydney Herbert Bywater Harris.
      • John Lewes author interview
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