French Adrian Helmet Badges

[wolfcooper]

Hello I am trying illustrate all of the WWI badges for the Adrian Helmet. I can't find reliable list of all of the WWI badges. Does anyone know If I got all of the badges on this picture? 

 

Also Is there a list of the national badges? I thought about doing that but im not sure who all had a custom badge in WWI.

 

Thanks for any help

[Michael Haselgrove]

Hi Wolfcooper,

Welcome to the GWF.

Your illustration is, I'm afraid, not complete.  Below is a list of French badges, together with a little background and description of the use of the badges, that may assist you.  When preparing your illustration you should not assume that all the badges were painted blue with the exception of the one you have shown as that was definitely not the case. 

Regards,

Michael. 

Helmet Badges 

Each helmet was issued with a badge.  The badges were stamped from sheet steel or tin plated iron of 4/10mm thickness.  The badge was fixed by means of a strip of steel 5mm wide and 75mm long.  Of this strip, 35mm was soldered to the rear of the badge.  The ends were bent at right angles to form two prongs each 20mm long.  One of these prongs passed through each of the two small rectangular holes cut in the front of the helmet.  The ends were then folded flush with the interior of the helmet bowl thus securing the badge.  The badges were painted on both sides in the same colour as the helmet.  

There was considerable debate as to the choice and design of the badges.  For instance, it was argued that the badge for the Zouaves should feature a capital Z and that of the Tiraileurs a capital T.  On the 19^th August 1915, in order to resolve that issue, General Joffre ordered that they should share the same badge.  The badges adopted were not, in the main, new designs.  They had mostly been used, in slightly different form, on the helmets and other headwear in use in the previous century. 

There were initially seven badges, with one further badge being added later during the War.  The majority of the badges incorporated the capital letters RF which stand for Republique Francaise.  The standard badges, including the date of introduction, were as follows:

1. The flaming grenade for the Infantry was introduced in February 1915.  The use was extended to the Cavalry on the 17^th June 1915, Cyclists on the 28^th June 1915, Light Cavalry and Chasseurs d’Afrique on the 16^th October 1915, the Gendarmerie on the 6^th November 1915,  Train Companies on the 2^nd March 1916 and others such as the Foreign Legion other troops without a specific badge on the 10^th October 1916.  The dates are the official introduction dates.  Prior to that, the troops in question, if helmets were issued to them, used the badge in any event.  The badge measured 63mm high and 42mm wide.

2. The hunting horn for Chasseurs a Pied and African Light Infantry.  Introduced in February 1915.  The badge measured 40mm high and 65mm wide.

3. The flaming grenade with crossed cannons below for the Artillery including Colonial Artillery.  Introduced February 1915.  The badge measured 63mm high and 80mm wide.

4. The helmet and breastplate for the Engineers.  Introduced February 1915. The badge measured 73mm high and 44mm wide.

5. The crescent for Zouaves and Tirailleurs.  Introduced August 1914.  The badge measured 53mm wide and 44mm high.

6. The Caduceus (winged staff entwined with a serpent) for medical troops.  Introduced August 1915.  The badge measured 70mm high and 78mm wide.

7. The flaming grenade with anchor for Colonial Infantry and the Navy.  Introduced June 1915.  The badge measured 73mm high and 48mm.

8. The badge consisting of a Laurel wreath, flags and fasces for officials in the L’Intendance (Quartermaster Corps).  Introduced March 1916.  The badge measured 63mm high and 65mm wide.

[Andrew Upton]

Are you looking for only French WW1 badges, or any nation that used them in WW1 on Adrian helmets? If the latter you can include places like Belgium, Russia, certain US units amongst others, eg:

 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30100400

 

 

https://www.rubylane.com/item/802481-12173/Ex78tremely-WW1-Imperial-Russian-Adrian-Helmet?search=1&t=faa010a6

 

 

https://alexanderandsonsrestorations.com/americans-french-helmets-enigma-american-adrian/

 

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/czech-legion-adrian-helmet-great-war-475637237

 

 

If the former, you could potentially include some non-standard badges not originally intended for the Adrian, eg:

 

https://www.rubylane.com/item/802481-12173/Ex78tremely-WW1-Imperial-Russian-Adrian-Helmet?search=1&t=faa010a6

 

 

You might also want to illustrate the appropriate Veterans peak badge:

 

http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/ww1-allies-great-britain-france-usa-etc-1914-1918/veterans-plaque-adrian-helmet-578503/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[wolfcooper]

Thank you very much. Michael and Andrew. 

 

I was thinking about doing a similar illustration of all of the non french WWI badges for the Adrian

 

If your curious of my past illustrations I will provide a link

https://www.deviantart.com/wolfcooper/gallery

[wolfcooper]

Does the color of the helmet matter with the flaming bomb? ive seen some that are blue and some tat are khaki. I didn't know if that indicated different services or not. 

[Keith_history_buff]

There were at least two badges for the Polish troops in the French Army. One badge had a Polish eagle, and the other badge, for the régiment des Chasseurs Polonais was based on the hunting horn. I believe there was a Polish eagle within the centre loop of the horn. (There was at least one chasseur regiment.)

At the end of the war, the <<moutarde>> shade of khaki was worn by the Troupes Coloniales rather than horizon blue. The Tirailleurs Sénégalais of the Armée d'Afrique wore khaki too. I would imagine it was the same for the other units of Tirailleurs indigenes from North Africa, Madagascar and Indochina. It may be worth asking your questions on the French language WW1 forum. Google translate is your friend.

Alternatively, a google on André Jouineau should bring up his website, and the numerous colour plates that he has. This will give you some cursory info on what the various units wore.

[wolfcooper]

Keith thank you so much

[Keith_history_buff]

This post from Dave in Manchester should be of interest:

 

[wolfcooper]

I found this. Im not sure though, some of these may not be exclusive to WWI

[wolfcooper]

This what ive got so far. the  L’Intendance badge was crazy hard to replicate hopefully it looks ok

[Keith_history_buff]

I would advise against using the false friend of "African light infantry" and use the original French term of Chasseurs d’Afrique. They were in fact a cavalry unit, and were about as "African" as the Zouaves, in other words in name only.

[wolfcooper]

Thanks

[wolfcooper]

Here is a fix to my typo and my progress so far with the other badges

[wolfcooper]

[4thGordons]

NIce illustrations. One suggestion

I think the American Field Service (AFS) although they provided ambulances/drivers was almost universally referred to as the AFS not the AAFS.

I did a fair bit of research on them in the last 6 or 7 years and almost all of the Adrians I saw (in the flesh or in photos) worn by AFS men had French badges on them.

Chris

Edited 13 June , 2020 by 4thGordons

[Keith_history_buff]

Thanks for sharing. It's interesting to see the different badges used by non-French users of the Adrian helmet.

[wolfcooper]

Thank you for your comments I will change it to AFS.

[wolfcooper]

Final image as long as there no typos

[Michael Haselgrove]

Wolfcooper,

I think the Greek M15-18 Adrian should be included.

Regards,

Michael.

 

[wolfcooper]

[wolfcooper]

Did the greek have those in ww1? I've seen a couple listed as ww1 but I wasn't sure. It seemed like most were ww2

[Michael Haselgrove]

Yes, they were supplied by France in 1918 and are probably the rarest of the Adrian helmets.  The helmets were painted brown and the badge consisted of a shield with a cross in the centre and the royal crown above.

[apwright]

24 minutes ago, Michael Haselgrove said:

Yes, they were supplied by France in 1918 and are probably the rarest of the Adrian helmets.  The helmets were painted brown and the badge consisted of a shield with a cross in the centre and the royal crown above.

 

The Greek Corps of National Defence fought in Adrian helmets from September 1916, and the rest of the Greek forces gradually received them after Greece formally entered the war in June 1917.

 

Adrian

[wolfcooper]

Ive added the Greek badge to the image

[Guest]

Hello guys, 

 

Very much new to this forum but I'm glad I found it. Really informative posts. 

I'll try and make this as short as possible. 

I came across this helmet whilst in the mountains in Lebanon. As you can see, it was completely painted over but I have started restoring it as much as I can. 

I wanted to ask a specialist about the badge. I looked all over the web but I could not find anything like it. The flaming bomb is never within a circle as shown here. 

Now, I am starting to think that the helmet is fake. Then again, it looks really authentic because it is rusted all over and has corrugated parts. I am also sure you know that Lebanon was part of the French mandate so it could very much be real. What do you guys think? I would appreciate any response. 

 

Thank you