Originally Posted by Bonzo_Dog

There was a similar case in the Falklands war - a guy from 2 Para (I think) was hit in his helmet which entered at the front and exited at the back. After the war I went to the 'Falklands War Roadshow' where the guy gave one of the presentations. His helmet was on display - how half of his head wasn't missing I'll never know, but apparently the round entered the helmet skimmed around the inside before exiting at the rear. I am reasonably sure he was given the MM for his exploits during the war.

He was indeed awarded the MM following the incident at Bocca House (sp?). He rose to Major and left a couple of years ago I believe.

re Chickenhawk story (great book by the way well worth a read and a few re-reads too)

I read alot of first-hand accounts about Vietnam and have heard quite a few accounts (at least three times in several books) of bullets entering the front of a US steel helmet and travelling inside following the inner liner (plastic I think) and exiting at the rear of the steel helmet again.

Just out of interest: this round seems to have passed along the front of the helmet in a straight line. Possibly from his left hand side and exited right hand side by looks of it.

(Either completely through the mass of the helmet or in then passed thru a gap - on the curve - then back in and then finally exiting out again.)

On of my veterans turned up with a smile on his face one morning. Had spat out a bullet with his cornfalkes ! Was shot in the face in WWII and as the bullet was lodged close to the brain in his hard palate they decided to leave it there. Resurfaced after 60 years. Now thats Lucky !

i seem to remember a soldier in NI being saved by his helmet when he was shot with the Barratt .50 cal. IIRC he was in a ditch doing cover on a VCP. one of the only guys to survive being shot with that fucking beast of a weapon.

(and before anybody starts banging on about how a .50 cal would have gone through his helmet without blinking, i'm guessing it probably was a glancing hit or something.)

lucky Fcuker!

Just saw it on Sky news and couldnt help having a chuckle when his CO said ' hes only the second soldier ive come across...'

dont suppose i'll ever grow up.

What good news. Good luck Wiily, God bless you son and may you always be so lucky. I look forward to hearing of you back with your family and friends.

basso.

Originally Posted by CRmeansCeilingReached

i seem to remember a soldier in NI being saved by his helmet when he was shot with the Barratt .50 cal. IIRC he was in a ditch doing cover on a VCP. one of the only guys to survive being shot with that fucking beast of a weapon.

(and before anybody starts banging on about how a .50 cal would have gone through his helmet without blinking, i'm guessing it probably was a glancing hit or something.)

I'll be he had a headache after that. I must admit I'm struggling to believe that someone would survive even a glancing headshot from one of those things.

I thought it was funny on Radio 2 News when she announced a bullet had gone through his helmet, well that'll make the Prince Albert a doddle to fit.............

On Telic 4 I had a Czech Merc, sorry Contractor on my operating table who had been shot in the head, the round split the scalp and left a deep grove in his skull.
I have a couple of cracking photos of it.

Originally Posted by BrunoNoMedals

I'll be he had a headache after that. I must admit I'm struggling to believe that someone would survive even a glancing headshot from one of those things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ABGIJwiGBc

That bloke was lucky.

Didn't the same sort of thing happen to a bloke in the Para coy from Band of Brothers? Its in the TV series at least, he gets shot in the front of the helmet, he takes it off and theres a hole in the back, and the two form a straight line right through his head.