Antiques Roadshow guests shocked by Battle of Britain memorabilia valuation

War memorabilia expert Mark Smith shared his thoughts on the rare Battle of Britain artefacts.

Charlotte Colombo
·Contributor
·3-min read
Mark Smith said the two guests had
Mark Smith said the two guests had "made [his] day." (BBC screen grab)

Antiques Roadshow military expert Mark Smith couldn’t contain his excitement when two guests arrived with Battle of Britain memorabilia.

As he examined the collection, which included a flying helmet, cloth oxygen mask, and a range of medals, Smith said: "You have made my day.”

“The most iconic thing from the Battle of Britain was the B-type flying helmet and the D-type cloth oxygen mask,” he explained. “Now, in my time, I have owned both. but I never knew who they belonged to.”

As the guests told Smith the story of the items — which were owned by their uncle, Richard Edgar Peter Brooker — they were left shocked by exactly how much the items were estimated to be worth.

The B-type military helmet was one of the
The B-type military helmet was one of the "most iconic" items from the Battle of Britain. (BBC screen grab)

As explained by the guests, Brooker joined the RAF in 1937 and returned to the UK in 1943 to train pilots on air-to-ground attacks. He also commanded 122 Wing on D-Day.

Returning to the gas mask, Smith added: “Without these people wearing these horrible cloth things as oxygen masks, with their microphone on the front, the Germans would have come.”

Smith then went on to examine Brooker’s vast array of medals, which he said demonstrated the pilot’s “illustrious, distinguished service.” With more than five kills credited to him, Smith explained that Brooker was considered an ace pilot.

The D-type cloth oxygen masks played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain. (BBC screen grab)
The D-type cloth oxygen masks played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain. (BBC screen grab)

But the biggest shock was the evaluation, as Smith revealed that everything on the table was worth £60,000. This elicited gasps in the crowd as one of the guests quipped: “Gulp."

Yet, despite being the highest valuation in the episode, the experience as a whole for Smith was clearly priceless.

“To actually be able to hold something that was there one of those days in the sky over London. You honestly, you don't know what this means," he said. "Thank you so much for bringing this.”

Based in Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery, it was another evening full of surprises on Antiques Roadshow.

The vast range of items evaluated spanned numerous time periods and cultures, ranging from African tribal jewelry, to an 18th-century picture book, to a collection of Nike trainers.

Read More: Antiques Roadshow

The storyboard included sequences like Zulu's famous hospital scene. (BBC screen grab)
The storyboard included sequences like Zulu's famous hospital scene. (BBC screen grab)

It was also a good night for movie memorabilia. One guest brought original storyboards and Nigel Green’s annotated script from the 1967 movie Zulu, while another arrived with the original program for the 1927 sci-fi flick Metropolis. These items were valued at £4,000-£6,000, £1,000-£1,500, and £2,000 respectively.

Antiques Roadshow airs on BBC One at 8pm on Sundays.

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