Helmets BEFORE late 1915?

[RLacroix]

I had an interesting question.

Now, a lot of us know that a soldier's kit was often a mix of things sold on the civilian market with soldiers in mind (such as trench watches) and their official issue items (such as the arms and uniform).

Doing some research, I can find helmets similar to the French "Adrian" being used by French firefighters at least as far back as 1900 (though these are brass), and helmets similar to the "Brodie" or "Tommy" style being used by infantry in England as far back as the 11th century.

My question is, does anyone know of evidence that steel or brass helmets were privately sold to soldiers, improvised in the field/at home, or appropriated from other sources (e.g. fire stations) before they were officially adopted in late 1915/early 1916? It just seems hard to believe that no one had thought to add one as an optional piece of kit before they were officially issued, but the only history I can find online for this only deals with the official issue.

[GRANVILLE]

I've never read anything which suggests private purchase of protective headgear prior to the official issue of the Brodie. There will be a couple of reasons for this. Firstly the average soldier could never have afforded such expense - the private purchase of trench watches you refer to will have been the preserve of the officer class and secondly, I don't believe it particularly crossed anyone's mind to do anything independently over and above what was officially deemed necessary. This is reflected in the way you do read of the way in which the first (official) Brodies were in many instances not enthusiastically embraced, as many felt they looked outlandish and could not straight way see the need for them - this attitude would soon change after a spell in a front line trench.

Dave

[Dave1418]

Didn't Winston Churchill wear an Adrian pattern helmet when in the line prior to the issue of the Brodie

[Wardog]

If he used it before Brodie issue-he would have have been one of a small number who could get away with it. If you were 'out of uniform' in any major way you would get jumped on from those senior in rank to you. There could have been 'well off' other ranks who could buy less obvious equipment for protection- but mainly items bought by officers. Regards, Paul.

[martin_sole]

Surely if you wore any form of unofficial helmet, that would mean you weren't wearing a cap, and if you weren't wearing a cap, then someone with stripes or pips would shout at you.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Didn't Winston Churchill wear an Adrian pattern helmet when in the line prior to the issue of the Brodie

Dave1418,

Here is the photograph of Winston Churchill wearing the 'Adrian ' helmet.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

and helmets similar to the style being used by infantry in England as far back as the 11th century.

Here are 2 examples of British non-standard issue helmets of the fluted design I think you are referring to, the one in the coloured photo is an officer's private purchase helmet, and the other is probably also a private purchase helmet or ' trial ' design helmet.

Regards,

LF

Both are from John Bodsworth's ' British Uniforms of the Great War, 1914-18 '

[GRANVILLE]

LF.

Fascinating stuff. Does John Bosworth's work put a date of manufacture on the fluted private purchase helmets you have posted? I would doubt they pre-date the official Brodie, but it would be very interesting if they did. One also has to ask what were the selling points of such a helmet with such a distinctly fluted pressing as I would have thought the design would have made it even more susceptible to shrapnel & bullet, rather than safer?! Perhaps the purchaser(s) was more concerned about appearance and had a reasonably high confidence that as 'staff officers' they were unlikely to see much incoming?

David

[Martin Bennitt]

That fluted one looks remarkably like a Portuguese helmet, model 1915. Same designer?

http://www.nyc-techwriters.com/militaria/portuguese_helmets.htm

cheers Martin B

[GRANVILLE]

Well spotted Martin, I thought I had seen that futed style helmet somewhere before.

David

[Michael Haselgrove]

The following, dealing only with steel helmets, represents a brief history of the background developments leading to the introduction of the Brodie helmet issued to all British troops.

The French Adrian Model 1915 Helmet

In June 1915 a committee was established in British Headquarters in France to investigate and report upon new inventions and suggestions. By that stage, the French had already decided to adopt the “Cerveliere” head protection and the British ordered 1000 of these for evaluation. These were delivered on the 6^th July 1915. However, the order and delivery coincided with the delivery to the French of the first Adrian Model 1915 helmets. The “Cerveliere” order was therefore cancelled and 1000 Adrian helmets were ordered instead. These helmets, in a reduced number and fitted with the standard infantry badge, were delivered on the 29^th July 1915 and were issued for testing.

The Adrian helmets were evaluated and found to be generally useful. An issue of fifty for each infantry battalion was recommended. At that stage, helmets were not thought of as something that would be issued to every soldier. Rather, they were regarded as “trench stores”, that is items to be left in the front line for use by the relieving troops.

Meanwhile, the War Office in London also considered the Adrian Model 1915 helmet. Their opinion was that the helmet was unsatisfactory. It was felt that it provided insufficient protection and the manufacturing process, involving as it did many separate operations, was unduly complicated.

In the meantime an engineer, Mr. John Leopold Brodie, had designed a helmet. This could be produced quickly and economically. It was decided to proceed with that helmet. However, before considering the Brodie helmet, it is appropriate to consider the position in respect of private purchase helmets.

Private Purchase Helmets

British officers were required, using an inadequate allowance provided to them and their own resources, to purchase their own equipment. When the war started, there were no helmets issued to the troops and private manufacturers and retailers, who provided a plethora of other equipment for private sale, saw an opportunity to manufacture and sell helmets. Some of the helmets sold privately are as follows:

The Anglo-French Steel Cap Liner

This form of protection was the first to be offered for private sale and was designed for wear under the standard service cap in the same way as the “Cerveliere”. Manufactured from high tensile steel of approximately 1.3mm thickness, it weighed about 0.5kg.

The helmet was manufactured in two sections and was adjustable to fit the head. The example in the collection of the Imperial War Museum, London measured 164mm from side to side and 198mm from front to rear when fully extended. There were two slots in the top of each section of the helmet and a nut and bolt passing through each secured the two sections together. The slots measured approximately 6mm each and when the nut on each bolt was loosened the two sections could be adjusted to fit the wearer’s head. The interior of the helmet was painted brown and a simple leather headband was fitted.

In November 1915, the Munitions Inventions Department carried out tests on this protection. A bullet fired from a .45 inch Colt automatic pistol failed to penetrate the steel but the protection was severely damaged, the joint welds giving way.

This form of protection, judging from the lack of any number of surviving examples, was not widely used.

The “Acier Trempe” Helmet

These helmets appeared shortly before the standard French Adrian Model 1915 helmet. Officers purchased them in limited numbers. The helmets were not provided with a badge and it was common for the owner to attach his unit badge to the front.

The helmet bears a striking resemblance to the standard French Adrian Model 1915 helmet, and the two should not be confused. For instance, there is a well-known contemporary photograph of Winston Churchill, then a Major serving with the 6^th Royal Scots Fusiliers, wearing an Adrian helmet. That helmet, which has the French infantry badge fixed to the front, appears to be a standard French Adrian Model 1915 helmet and not, as might be expected, a privately purchased helmet.

Private Purchase “Brodie Style” Helmets

By mid-1916 manufacturers had produced for private sale helmets broadly resembling the shape of the Brodie helmet. There were several variations in shape and manufacture. One basic design had a fluted bowl. These were manufactured in Birmingham and were of two-piece construction. The helmet bowl was pressed separately from the brim and the two sections were then joined. The Portuguese later adopted this design, although the Portuguese helmets were stamped from a single piece of steel. A second design was similar to the first save that the helmet bowl was not fluted.

A common feature of these helmets is the method of fixing the liner. The attachment was by means of twine, or something similar. This passed through a series of holes, punched in pairs and evenly spaced around in the base of the helmet bowl and attached to the liner. A thin leather strap covered the base of the helmet bowl on some helmets, presumably to improve the appearance, as the strap serves no useful purpose.

Additionally, a common feature was a layer of thin, corrugated cork fixed between the headband of the liner and the helmet shell. The leather headband was, on some helmets, marked with the name and address of the retailer.

The main objection to these helmets was that they were made from thin mild steel. No proper testing was carried out and, in reality, the helmets offered little protection. Ultimately, the sale of the helmets was stopped.

I hope the above is of interest.

Regards,

Michael H.

[GRANVILLE]

Excellent posting Michael.I should like to see some pictures if anyone has any?

Dave

[sonofacqms]

Regarding Winston Churchill wearing an Adrian pattern helmet, I believe this helmet or one like it is on display at Chartwell, Churchill wore this helmet while he was commanding I believe, 2nd Btn Royal Scots Fusiliers after standing down from his position in the Government after the Gallipoli campaign of which he was instrumental in planning.

[Chris Henschke]

Here is an interesting letter written in Australia in October, 1915.

[Tom W.]

LF.

Fascinating stuff. Does John Bosworth's work put a date of manufacture on the fluted private purchase helmets you have posted? I would doubt they pre-date the official Brodie, but it would be very interesting if they did. One also has to ask what were the selling points of such a helmet with such a distinctly fluted pressing as I would have thought the design would have made it even more susceptible to shrapnel & bullet, rather than safer?! Perhaps the purchaser(s) was more concerned about appearance and had a reasonably high confidence that as 'staff officers' they were unlikely to see much incoming?

David

They were produced by Henry Heath Limited, 105-107 Oxford Street, London, in 1915.

Henry Heath was a hat maker.