Description:

An excellent relic from the D-Day invasion, an excavated German helmet from outside the town of Carentan in Normandy, the scene 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 M40 model based on the folded metal rim and the punched vent hole on each side. Most intriguing, the piece bears an original eight-finger liner, rare for excavated pieces, with the remnants of chicken wire protruding from the metal band, suggesting the dome was once wrapped in that netting to contain camouflage. A leather buckle, presumably part of the chinstrap, has come loose, and is sold with the lot. In relic condition. Sold with a scanned 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