Arditi Posted 1 August , 2006 Share Posted 1 August , 2006 Hi Gents, This item came out of a Baltic country that escapes me at the moment. I originally thought it was WW2 in origin, but I am now thinking otherwise. Can I get you guys to take a look and give me some feedback? Many thanks for your time. Best Regards, Arditi www.gunboards.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=176856 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 2 August , 2006 Share Posted 2 August , 2006 Here is a link to your post: http://www.gunboards.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=176856 It is almost certainly German and Great War - there were many variants in these shields from lightweight models to huge, fully wheeled contraptions. Alls sides used them but yours shares much of the design with the 'standard' German model, the 'Infanterieschild' from 1916 in terms of size and front curved edges to protect the user from bullet splash or richochets. The position of the opening allows maximum protection for right handed soldiers and normally a movable cover is fitted to protect the rifle slot. Yours is obviously a variant with a top panel but to the rear the supports allow the shield to be self-supporting on flat terrain. Many were designed to be portable on the battlefield - in theory. Normally they would have been dug into the trench system or used in large numbers as part of short term or even semi-permanant strong points or sniper posts in trench systems. Originally these would have been painted in field grey or green or cammoflaged in similar colours to German steel helmets to blend into the surroundings. Here is a pic of a few various models in my back garden recently: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arditi Posted 2 August , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 August , 2006 aahhhhh...nice collection you have there Giles. Thanks for the information concerning the shield. I once saw a pic, in a German rifle magazine, with an Austrian lugging one of these on his back during a troop movement. I wish I had saved it. Do you know of any pics from a book or magazine that illustrates this? Many thanks for your help, Arditi I'd like to see more of your collection sometime. I bet it is impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 2 August , 2006 Share Posted 2 August , 2006 Thanks, there is the odd picture in reference books but the best article I have found was in an issue of the famous French magazine Armes Militairia covering Sniper shields. Cannot help with an Austrian carrying one on his back - how about a German with one under his arm?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 2 August , 2006 Share Posted 2 August , 2006 This is another great period picture too: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 3 August , 2006 Share Posted 3 August , 2006 It was these shields that led the British to purchase and use "big game" Express rifles in an attempt to improve the penetration of the early .303 AP rounds. I would not like to be behind one if it was hit by a .577 or .600 Nitro Express! Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle bill Posted 3 August , 2006 Share Posted 3 August , 2006 nice collection Giles, sure beats gnomes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 3 August , 2006 Share Posted 3 August , 2006 Thanks Bill, here is a shot of the rear of an Infanterieschild, (yes, I know it's an SMLE but I don't have a Mauser!). They were designed to resist standard rifle/machine-gun fire over a range of 100 yards but they were ineffective against AP rounds. This is one of the lighter examples, many were made of much heavier guage plate or even double skinned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Sheldon Posted 3 August , 2006 Share Posted 3 August , 2006 According to some German sources, another important use of the shield was to protect men digging new trenches. The shields were set up on the enemy side of the work, so once a man was down a couple of complete spades depth, he was begining to be fairly well protected. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 4 August , 2006 Share Posted 4 August , 2006 German trench shield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 4 August , 2006 Share Posted 4 August , 2006 German trench shield built in the loophole of a bunker. Regards, Cnock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arditi Posted 4 August , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 August , 2006 Awesome information and pics gents. Giles and Cnock, may I post these pics on the Gunboards thread concerning trench shields? I think they would appreciate it. Do you gentlemen feel that the earlier example, with the roof attachment, was for a stationary use or a more mobile roll? Best Regards, Arditi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 4 August , 2006 Share Posted 4 August , 2006 Arditi, No problem if You use my posts. Regards, Cnock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 4 August , 2006 Share Posted 4 August , 2006 Awesome information and pics gents. Giles and Cnock, may I post these pics on the Gunboards thread concerning trench shields? I think they would appreciate it. Do you gentlemen feel that the earlier example, with the roof attachment, was for a stationary use or a more mobile roll? Best Regards, Arditi Please feel free to use mine. Most designs were made to be portable - some were much bigger with sides and wheels etc and became more a 'one man tank' than a frontal shield. However, in the craters of no-mans land I would not have thought they were often carried over any great distance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 4 August , 2006 Share Posted 4 August , 2006 Hello, Lighter steel shields used by the Germans were the Sturmshield and Infanterieshield, intented to give individual protection to the soldier during an attack. Pic of other type of trench shield Regards, Cnock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eparges Posted 4 August , 2006 Share Posted 4 August , 2006 Hi, here's a pic of german troops, certainly taken during an exercise, carrying the 'Infanterieschild' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 6 August , 2006 Share Posted 6 August , 2006 Another trench shield, probably French ??? Regards, Cnock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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