When were steel helmets introduced on the western front?

[Michael Pegum]

I know it should be easy for me to find out, and I have looked, but without success!

Michael

[GRANVILLE]

Michael, take a look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brodie_helmet

[Michael Pegum]

Thanks, that's what I wanted.

Michael

[6th Shropshires]

The 1st K.S.L.I. and 2nd York & Lancs each had about a dozen or so French helmets handed to them just before their attack on Hooge on the 9th August 1915 to try out. At some point during the attack some of the men wear the steel helmet were fire on by follow British Troops thinking them German troops.

Not sure if this was the first time British troops tried out steel helmets ?

Annette

[centurion]

French began issuing the Adrian in May 1915. British Steel helmets began to be issued as trench stores (for use by bombers) late Sept 1915 and the German Stahlhelm began to be issued in Dec 1915. However at the beginning of the Somme Haig reported that there were still not enough helmets for everyone although I think all those going over the top had one

[GRANVILLE]

I came across a photo the other day entitled something like 'first use of helmets' and it showed some French soldiers in them, but they weren't the Adrian's as we recognise them, they looked very roughly beaten out efforts. I'll see if I can track it down and post it for information.

David

[calibre792x57.y]

British Brodie helmets were patented in August 1915 and by March 1916 140,000 were in France. An assault on The Bluff, a 40 ft embankment on the Ypres- Comines canal on 2nd March 1916 gave an opportunity to test the helmet in battle. The Medical Services reported a reduction of 75% in severe head wounds and the helmet was deemed a success. The first million were completed and delivered by 1st July 1916. The French Adrian was earlier, the first 1,000 were delivered in July 1915 and by the start of the Champagne Offensive on 25th September 1915 all the French troops involved were equippped with these helmets. By the end of the War about 20 million Adrian pattern helmets had been made. SW

[GRANVILLE]

Here's the picture I refer to above.

David

[nigelcave]

p. 15 of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry history, reference attack at Hooge, 9 August 1915: 'Before this action seven steel helmets were received, and served out for experimental purposes, being found most satisfactory.'

[trenchtrotter]

Re the Adrians in the photo. They appear to be the earlier skull caps rather than helmets. Simple semi circular domes of steel that sat atop the skull.

TT

[centurion]

British Brodie helmets were patented in August 1915 and by March 1916 140,000 were in France. An assault on The Bluff, a 40 ft embankment on the Ypres- Comines canal on 2nd March 1916 gave an opportunity to test the helmet in battle. The Medical Services reported a reduction of 75% in severe head wounds and the helmet was deemed a success. The first million were completed and delivered by 1st July 1916. The French Adrian was earlier, the first 1,000 were delivered in July 1915 and by the start of the Champagne Offensive on 25th September 1915 all the French troops involved were equippped with these helmets. By the end of the War about 20 million Adrian pattern helmets had been made. SW

The Adrian was being used experimentally as early as May 1915 leading up to the July delivery. The Brodie was in use in small numbers long before March 1916

[calibre792x57.y]

Yes Centurion, but not in a battle - which reminds me; you were seeking where you had seen a photo of a tank towing oil drums and I was able to direct you to it. Did you find it satisfactory? - I ask because I received no acknowledgement. RE Granville's photo; these are steel skullcaps as Trenchtrotter says, Cervelieres. They look odd because they are being worn on top of kepis, rather than underneath as intended! SW

[centurion]

Yes Centurion, but not in a battle - which reminds me; you were seeking where you had seen a photo of a tank towing oil drums and I was able to direct you to it. Did you find it satisfactory? - I ask because I received no acknowledgement. RE Granville's photo; these are steel skullcaps as Trenchtrotter says, Cervelieres. They look odd because they are being worn on top of kepis, rather than underneath as intended! SW

But in action which is the gist of the question in the OP

Thanks for the direction but it isn't the photo I'm thinking of.

[GRANVILLE]

RE Granville's photo; these are steel skullcaps as Trenchtrotter says, Cervelieres. They look odd because they are being worn on top of kepis, rather than underneath as intended! SW

Thanks SW, that makes a lot of sense. In the same photo, can anyone offer a suggestion for the lighhouse shaped object further down the trench?

David

[punjab612]

There was an article in 'Stand To' a few years ago about the introduction of steel helmets and the impact on head wounds. It stated that although limited numbers had been tested earlier the first general issue was to the 1st Northumberland and $th Royal Fusiliers for the actions at St Eloi on 27th March 1915. Very few head wounds were sustained. The Canadian troops who releived them were not issued with helmets and suffered somewhere in the region of 1,300 head wounds. I can't for the life of me put my habd on the article.

The of the St Eloi actions (Geoffrey Malins) also makes a feature of the 'newly issued steel helmets'.

Peter

[centurion]

Yes that refers to general issue. Before then they were held as trench stores and drawn (and subsequently returned) when there was seen to be a need for them - eg for use in bombing raids on the enemy's trenches.

[squirrel]

I have seen references to Brtish steel helmets being issued in small numbers as trench stores (as above) in August/September 1915 for use by Bombers and/or Machine Gunners.

[centurion]

I have seen references to Brtish steel helmets being issued in small numbers as trench stores (as above) in August/September 1915 for use by Bombers and/or Machine Gunners.

As I said in post 5

[GRANVILLE]

I'm currently re-reading Philip Gibbs 'Realities of War' - one of the best of its kind in my opinion. On page 171 I've come across this from the author: 'The working parties had a bad time and a wet one in spite of waders and gumboots which were served out to the lucky ones. Some of them wore a new new kind of hat, seen for the first time and greeted with guffaws - the 'tin' hat, which later became the headgear of all fighting men'.

For anyone unaware, Gibbs (later Sir Gibbs) was a Times correspondent among the handful of journalists who managed to get out to France at the very start of things and who recorded his findings in a number of publications such as 'Realities of War'. Here in Part IV which he calls 'The winter of discontent', he is into the Autumn of 1915 when he makes the above comment, and from it you can clearly see how the first helmets were very few in number and initially used to try and give the working party boy's some better protection than the Service Cap provided! The helmets were regarded as amusing at first but very swiftly became standard issue as the supply numbers increased.

David

[Lammy]

Just been reading the history of the 2nd Momouthshire regiment. Transfered to the 29th Division as a pioneer battallion (between 650-700) 1st July 1916 at Beaumont-Hamel , quote page 55 "While it had been possible to to issue steel helmets to 200 men, the remainder had to enter action in soft caps, with instructions to replace them with helmets from the dead. Tragic to relate, every man had a steel helmet within a few hours."

[Black Maria]

Whilst watching 'They shall not grow old'  I noticed that in the well known clip of the men fixing bayonets ( nearest one chewing gum) and

going over the top , the one furthest from the camera who goes over is wearing a soft cap instead of a helmet . I think photo was taken

at the time as it shows the same man on the far end.

[Lammy]

Type A Magnetic brodie.! With replacrd liner.!