Continuing with the "1st's"  

Who is kin to this guy? In the past I found the Veterans Administration to be helpful. NOK should be able to open doors.

Hi gents Just finished the Bedford Boys by Kershaw. In the Dutch edition in the (unnumbered) photo pages they show the photo of a German soldier wit the caption (translated): Right: the enemy. A German soldier who was shot dead by Bob Sales in Normandy on June 30th 1944, the day on which Roy Stevens almost was killed by a German "Bouncing Betty" landmine. (source Bob Sales). The photo discussed shows a young Waffen-SS "corporal" (Rottenführer) wearing the Knightscross of the Iron Cross. That made me curious to see if that man could not be identified. Either the photos of Mr. Sales got tagged incorrectly or something else went wrong because as it turns out the picture shows Gerard Mooyman, a Dutch Waffen-SS volunteer who passed away in 1987 in the Netherlands and not in Normandy in 1944.  I was wondering if anyone has the English language edition at home to do a quick check if the same picture with caption is also (mis)used in that  edition?    

The photo is out of focus. What makes this an authentic WW2 Big Red One helmet? Tell me about its provenance.

Hi,   im happy to present to you a very nice helmet and liner from the BRO.  It comes from an old Norman collection. 

Hey guys, I had this thrown in as part of a trade but really have no idea what it is. I was told it is an incomplete (relatively current?) land mine training aid. Hard rubber like plastic which screws together. It looks as though there would be a fuse assembly as there is threads on the top piece. It appears totally devoid of markings. Roughly 12" in diameter & 4" in height. Any idea what it is and any value? Thanks

Hi,   im happy to present to you a very nice helmet and liner from the BRO.  It comes from an old Norman collection. 

Wow! TWELVE YEARS later! This is a "Lumpy Head" or "Parrot Beak" variation of the 101st SSI. They came out in 1947 (VERY, VERY, VERY, late war!??) and were issued to soldiers going through basic training when the division had been converted to a training division. You will occasionally find these legitimately paired with an airborne tab when the 101st was re-activated as an airborne division in the late 1950's.   Allan 

It is indeed the pull handle for a reserve parachute. These were used on several different parachutes. The handle should be painted red, but appears to have had the paint stripped for some unknown reason.   Allan