Description:

An excellent relic from the D-Day invasion, an excavated German helmet from outside the town of Carentan in Normandy, site of a week-long battle between the 101st Airborne Division and the German Wehrmacht, as the American paratroopers struggled to reinforce the Utah and Omaha beachheads and establish a defensive line against German counterattacks. The helmet appears to be a M42 model based on the unfolded metal rim and the punched vent hole on each side. The piece bears much of its original field-gray color, with a single Wehrmacht shield decal present on the left side. The lefthand skirt bears the heat-stamp 'ET64', still clearly visible. The piece also bears three round holes which once housed the pins for the liner, which have since been professionally removed. Most intriguing, the top of the dome bears two spots of battle damage, each presumed to be exit holes, with the metal of each bending outwards. We can only speculate on the cause of the damage, though whatever struck this helmet surely went through the wearer's head first... In relic condition. Sold with an original note of provenance from Xavier Derule, originally written in French on Feb. 2, 1983, who found this helmet and other Normandy relics near the town of Carentan during clearance works. Heavy losses and a lack of ammunition forced the German forces to withdraw from the town on June 12th, 1944.

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May 22, 2021 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000