Which helmet did they wear in this action?

[Loader]

A friend who collects Spiked Helmets asked me if I knew the answer to this question. I do not so hoping the GWF can help.

In the action in June 1916 at Mount Sorrell where the Canadians were hit so hard & esp the Canadian Mounted Rifles, what helmet were the German troops wearing? Was it still the spiked helmet with or without the spike or had they switched to the steel helmet by then? I know they were switching over & I think had them at Verdun already. Any ideas will be very welcome & I'll pass along the info to my friend. Thanks for taking time to look at this & help out.

[Wardog]

Like you I only know the steel helmet was first used at Verdun. I've never been total sure of the start of use during the Somme. I don't think the steel helmet was in use 1st July 1916. Regards, Paul.

Edited 20 December , 2017 by Wardog

[depaor01]

Having seen the contemporary film Battle of the Somme several times, I was struck by the absence of German helmets in general. Only feldmutzen on view.  

Dave

 

[GreyC]

Hi,

the Stahlhelm was not introduced to the German Army all at once. It was introduced in an ongoing process until April / May of 1917 at he battle of Arras, when pretty much all front units were equipped with one. However some troops like the Lehr-Infanterie Regiment had their Stahlhelme as early as May 1916. A first delivery of Stahlhelme is even known to have occurred from February 1916 onwards.

GreyC

Edited 22 December , 2017 by GreyC

[Loader]

Thank you all for the info. Looks as if we can never know the real answer to the question but seems to indicate they would have had the spiked helmet maybe with the spike removed. I looked at few references to the action hoping for some such phrase as "spiked helmeted troops moved forward" but no such luck. I think they were Wurtemburg troops but not sure as what I could find mostly focused on the 4/CMR being so badly cut up & the CO killed. Maybe sometime the answer will pop up. But I appreciate all the time & info you sent me. I can see where Verdun would have taken priority for the steel helmets issued.

[GreyC]

Hi Loader,

I thought I´d dig a bit deeper, so I consulted the regimental history of GR 119 Olga which belonged to the Württemberg Kontingent that was involved in the German attacks on Mont Sorrel. Unfortunately I don´t have time to check the other regiments, but on page 146 and 151 of the regimental history of GR 119 there is proof that at least part of the unit was equipped with Stahlhelme (namely 11th company) as early as March 1916! So, we can say that at least part of the German troops were wearing Stahlhelme during this battle.

GreyC

Edited 22 December , 2017 by GreyC

[AOK4]

Hello,

 

At that point, steel helmets were rare and often only used by the troops in the front line (meaning that the helmets had to be handed over whenever units were relieved from the front line).

I would say that most soldiers would have been wearing spiked helmets.

 

Jan

 

[Loader]

GreyC & Jan, thanks so much for the extra looking & for the info & opinions. I've passed this to my friend & he now has more knowledge than before as do I. Maybe the leading troops in the attack has the steel helmet & the following waves has the spiked helmet. I doubt very much is any of the Canadians had time to take any souveniers such as helmets from that fight. I had hoped maybe a painting of the action might show the attackers but so far no luck in finding such an item.

[Wardog]

Details in art work regards uniform and equipment are often incorrect. Only photographic images would prove the point. Regards, Paul.

[trajan]

19 hours ago, Wardog said:

Details in art work regards uniform and equipment are often incorrect. Only photographic images would prove the point. Regards, Paul.

 

Too true... I can point you to any number of Turkish statues that show Mustafa Kemal as Pasha with a brimmed officers hat - which he never wore as it was introduced after he left the army... Likewise the two 'Turkish soldiers' shown on the Independence War monument in Ankara have the wrong type of headgear (German M.1916 stahlhelm, never supplied - to the best of my knowledge - to Turkey) instead of Chapka, not to mention the wrong bayonets(!). Ths it has always been... I give classes on Roman sculpture and I can assure you that what is shown as military equipment and dress on Trajan's Column in Rome is an artists vision and version of the idealised Roman army at war, the reality - as confirmed by archaeological finds - being better shown on a frieze of the same date from Adamklissi in Romania.