Code: 57701
From my own collection, this nice Single Decal Army M40 Helmet named to Oblt. later Hauptmann Raabe of Feldpost nr 22881 which has something of a family connection through number 2 Commando.
Whilst both the shell and decal are very good, the sheepskin liner has rotted and become detached and there is no chinstrap. I have always resisted the temptation to replace the liner and leave it as is. This is an EF64 number 22461
This helmet turned up at auction in 2013 along with a large format profusely illustrated book entitled “The war and Revolution of the Peoples of Yugoslavia 1941-1945”, which I will cover later, a paperback copy of the “The Green Beret” and a hardback book entitled, “Tito”.
The auction description read:
"This helmet was retrieved from a German sniper in Yugoslavia in an incident described in The Green Beret. 2 Commando came under fire from a Red Cross designated area. Permission from Tom Churchill was needed in order to return fire. The vendor's father caused the fatal wound to the sniper and collected this helmet as a trophy."
The inside front cover of the large format book is named to Major C.G.Eastaugh, (2 Commando) presumably the vendor’s father, referred to in the listing. The incident actually took place in Sarande, Albania and is covered in depth on page 284 of the “Green Beret.” No doubt the passing of time confused the location between Albania and Yugoslavia, number 2 Commando seeing extensive service in both countries.
I believe this to have been the action were Hauptmann Raabe went MIA. The raid coincided with his unit leaving the island of Corfu.
The Hauptmann's name was Jean (Hans) Raabe, born on March 30, 1892 in Kassel, Germany. In civilian life he was an administration clerk. He is still considered MIA and was last seen alive in September 1944 on the Greek island of Corfu. He served with Stabskompanie Festungs-Infanterie-Regiment 1017 which was part of Festungs Brigade Corfu, later in Albania.
From Wikipedia:
On 22 September, 1944 No. 2 Commando raided Albania again; their objective this time was to capture the port town of Sarande. The Commandos landed on a beach 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Sarande and soon came under artillery fire. Believing the German garrison to consist of 200 men they discovered that the true German strength was 2000 men. They requested reinforcements from No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando which arrived 24 September. Sarande was captured by the combined force on 9 October. With the capture of the town, the German garrison on Corfu was cut off and surrendered to the Commandos in November.
And what of the family connection? Both my father-in-law and his brother Ernie were with number 2 Commando at the time of this incident and in Albania, and would have taken part in this encounter. They both also saw service in Sicily, Italy, and Yugoslavia where they fought with the Partisans.
In July 1973 a party of Commando Veterans returned to Yugoslavia as guests of the Partisan Association and it would seem Major Eastaugh was one of those to have been presented with a copy of “The war and Revolution of the Peoples of Yugoslavia 1941-1945”. The first page bears 12 signatures, some of whom I believe were former Partisans, the next page the signatures of 26 most former Commandos, those of number 2 Commando headed by both Tom Churchill and his brother “Mad Jack” Churchill, the last being my wife’s uncle, Ernie Mather, in Albania with number 2 Commando with his brother, my Father-in-Law, at the Sarande encounter.
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