German couple see funny side

Two German tourists wore wide grins when they were greeted by someone wearing island style clothing topped with a German Army style motorcycle helmet.

Passengers disembarking by tender from the cruise liner Silver Whisperer on Boxing Day could have been excused for being a little taken aback when they were greeted by one official dressed in an island shirt, topped by a German military style motorcycle helmet.

The distinctively styled helmets which were originally designed to protect the wearer from shrapnel, had their origins in World War II when they were worn by German soldiers.

However, while some older people with memories of what they once represented might still find them offensive and they wouldn’t go down particularly well at the RSA, it seems times have changed – and younger generations see them simply as a “different” motorbike helmet.

The German couple pictured at the immigration gates, said they hadn’t been too surprised as the helmets were also favourites with motorcyclists in Hong Kong, where the ship also called. In fact, they saw some humour in it, even asking if they could have their photo taken with the immigration staff.