Luxembourg

I just saw this on Facebook. Its the same helmet with a made-up story... Beware of this auction. Alex

Personally I liked it.

Fantastic, as all of your helmets Marc!

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Untouched one, found in South of France

I always loved this one! Alex

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About one year ago, I got this helmet from an acquaintance of mine (for free!). He said that he found it in an old house in Reisdorf (just next to Diekirch) here in Luxembourg while clear it out. Its a 5th Infantry helmet that was used during the Battle of the Bulge here in Luxembourg. One bail was repaired and it appears that the soldier wrote the first letter of his last name and the 4 last numbers of his ASN in the liner. The liner was found next to the helmet so I suppose that they belong together. Exactly 73 years ago: After some research, I found out that the the 2nd Regiment of the 5th Infantry Division held the line between Ingeldorf and Reisdorf. For two weeks, between January 1st till the 17th 1945, they did reconnaissance patrols and crossings over the Sauer. In the early morning hours of January 18, 1945, the long awaited attack began with 2 simultaneous crossings of the Sauer river: the 2nd Infantry Regiment between Ingeldorf and Reisdorf and the 10th Infantry Regiment near Bettendorf. During the night, the American soldiers had silently pushed their wooden assault boats through knee-deep snow towards the crossing points while cautiously avoiding mines and booby traps emplaced there by German engineers. Just before daybreak, they then attempted a first crossing covered by an artificial smoke screen. In Bettendorf, the first attempt was not detected by the enemy and soon, the troops of the 10th Infantry Regiment began to clear the village and to push on towards the north. In Ingeldorf however, the 2nd Infantry Regiment found itself exposed to strong and precise machine gun and mortar fire and wasnt able to cross the Sauer without taking heavy losses. Several boats were hit and did subsequently sink, letting their occupants drown in the icy water. An assault bridge was destroyed twice by German mortar and artillery fire, but a third attempt carried out by the engineers was finally successful. The river crossing had been costly and bloody, but it had given the US Army a new initiative in the southern part of the Bulge. On January 19, a bridgehead had thus been formed, and the 5th Infantry Division began its push towards the north of Luxembourg. (Reference: Gaul, The Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg (Vol. 2), Atglen 1995.) I hope you enjoy the helmet and its history! Alex