ET68 M38 paratrooper helmet KIA from Rome

Textbook M38 paratrooper or Fallschirmjäger helmet marked ET68. The helmet retains it full factory finish and decal. The helmet retains its factory installed liner and chinstrap. The liner is heavily blood stained indicating this is a WIA or KIA helmet. The original description of the helmet and its source was written by the original collector below. A overall spectacular example externally ánd internally!

On 8 September 1943, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower publicly announces the surrender of Italy to the Allies. The Germans then started “Operatoion Achse” and attacked Rome where there was only a spontaneous and uncoordinated defense by individual military units and armed civilians, although around Rome there was a strong military presence in Italian, but without precise orders and without a plan of defense they were defeated even if in a higher number but with inadequate weaponry. Between the 9 and the 10 September 1943 in Rome the 2.Fallschirmjäger Division was fighting against the Italian (Granatieri di Sardegna units and groups of civilian volunteers.) in Porta San Paolo to disarm them (and at 16.00 General Calvi signed the surrender of Rome with Field Marshal Kesselring..) during the fights a local civilian picked up the helmet from a heavily wounded German paratrooper and kept it years. This man over 45 years ago was a client of a dentist in Rome. He heard from the dentist that the son (of the dentist) was collecting ww2 relics and decided to give the Helmet to him for free. Until a couple of years ago when i managed to buy it. The Helmet is in Fantastic condition with a great Decal and paint. Liner is completely blood soaked and dry, the blood is also on the nuts inside and on the foam pad. It s completely untouched and a true piece of Italian campaign history, definitely from a member of the 2.Fallschirmjäger Division.