A report in 1944 on the mk.111 helmet stated that they were satisfactory with the exception that the liners should be detatchable and there should be no hole in the helmet enabling its use as a basin. A company called Briggs motor bodies was given the task of altering the mk. 111 helmet, this consisted of simply fitting a lift the dot presstud into the apex of the helmet body and a socket attachment to the crown pad of a standard mk.11 liner making it a mk.111 liner, also the chinstrap lugs were repositioned nearer the brim to provide greater stability when the helmet was used to carry water. The helmet design was accepted in September 1944 and was designated helmet steel mk.1V,according to my reference material contracts were placed in December 1944 and production was cancelled in January 1946 but I have 1950s dated mark fours so production obviously started up again,possible 1952? as that is the earliest date for the second run I have found so far. The chin strap of the second run of Mk.1V helmets is a modified version of the Mk.111 and was designated chin strap Mk.1V, It differed from the Mk.111 strap in that it was not secured to the end loop but was threaded through It and there is an obvious difference between the MK111 and MK1V chin straps when handling them the MK1V being more elasticised and better quality.

The first MK.1V is from the first run made by RO&CO. Rubery Owen Co.Ltd.(Leeds) dated 1945 with a MK.111 chin strap, the MK.111 liner made by CCL. Christy & Co Ltd dated 1952. The number two painted on the back of the helmet in Roman numerals I am assuming is for the number two in a squad or group?