Pickelhaube on the western front 1917?

[apl]

Dear all, I am trying to make sense of this photo : a german is taken prisoner by the French in the Loivre sector in april 1917 ; he is wearing a Pickelhaube, which I thought had been replaced since long by the Stalhelm. Can anyone point me to an explanation? Is he from some special unit?

Many thanks in advance, APL

[Michael Haselgrove]

Hi apl,

Is he actually a German prisoner? Although the photo is not very clear In fact his equipment looks French to me and he appears to be carrying an Adrian helmet. In any event, the pickelhaube was in use, albeit on a reduced basis, throughout the war.

Regards,

Michael H.

[sw63]

I agree - doesn't seem a prisoner as neither of his "guards" is obviously armed. In fact the two visible faces seem to be smiling.

Simon

[apl]

it makes more sense this way, thanks a lot

APL

[Lancashire Fusilier]

apl,

German Pickelhaube helmets were in evidence at ' The Front ' throughout WW1, and were a favourite item of war booty for trench raiding parties.

In the attached photographs we can see a raiding party with their captured Pickelhaubes, and also a Sniper Unit with the Pickelhaube war booty.

Regards,

LF

[BIFFO]

there is a similar photo of steel helm pyramid in place de la concorde

Biff

[centurion]

The Pickelhaube was still worn for behind the lines ceremonial duties and the like and some soldiers would have one in their kit at the front although I believe that as the war went on these would increasingly be of the ersatz variety made out of stiffened felt. I would think that the photo shows a captured helmet

[asanewt]

Original photo' looks staged to me. German or French the finish of his helmet is a total mismatch with the condition of the rest of his kit.