On 18/05/2012 15:52, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Nightjar wrote:
....
Why do you think Air Raid Wardens, Home Guard and Police, who had to
be outside when raids were on, wore steel helmets?


To protect themselves from falling buildings and/or pigeon ****?

I rather doubt that any helmet is much use against a falling building,
but steel helmets did the same job in WW2 as they were introduced for in
WW1: to protect from shrapnel from air-burst shells, although in WW2 it
was our shells, not the enemy's.

Colin Bignell