M16 Prussian Gardekorps Helmet

[PlaceOfBayonets]

And a Salute to Chuck's new helmet and his service in the Marines!

[C. Roelens]

And a Salute to Chuck's new helmet and his service in the Marines!

Where's my Eagle, Globe, and Anchor?

[PlaceOfBayonets]

Where's my Eagle, Globe, and Anchor?

Hell what Marines needs that given to them when they already earned it? :P

I should have added stars to that helmet before I stripped it.

W.

[Hoss]

Hello Chuck and everyone,
No disrespect to the gentlemen on the forum (I love this site) and I hope you dont mind but I email photos of Chucks helmet to a couple of colleagues and also one in Germany. Together they have probably handled more of these helmets than anybody.
All gave it a . They would have liked to see a unit insignia on the back though but thats not conclusive. These Gents dont usually give opinions openly for print so I hope you respect their confidentiality and I hope I havent invaded the Forums or Chucks.
Friend, I just wanted to be sure, thats all,100%. I hate fakes or copies sold as fakes and Iam never too old to learn.

Warm Regards
Eric

[DaveG]

Here is the only picture showing a helmet painted with the Guard insignia in the book Das Erste Garderegiment zu Fuss im Weltkrieg 1914-18, published in Berlin in 1934. This is Major Graf zu Eulenburg. There are other pictures in the book of soldiers wearing helmets but they are too small to make out the detail. Major von Eulenburg's helmet looks as if it's seen much action. The insignia is well worn.

Dave

[C. Roelens]

Dave,

That photo is also shown in Baer's book on page 64.

Chuck

[PlaceOfBayonets]

Here is the only picture showing a helmet painted with the Guard insignia in the book Das Erste Garderegiment zu Fuss im Weltkrieg 1914-18, published in Berlin in 1934. This is Major Graf zu Eulenburg. There are other pictures in the book of soldiers wearing helmets but they are too small to make out the detail. Major von Eulenburg's helmet looks as if it's seen much action. The insignia is well worn.

Dave

OMG where is that man's helmet chin strap? It's neither tucked in, hanging lose or slipped over the visor. And note the placement of the shield is right about where Chuck's is.

W

[Chip M]

They would have liked to see a unit insignia on the back though but thats not conclusive.

Eric,

Having a number on the back is not a key to authenticity. Only the front line units of the division wore a company number, whose original purpose was for identification from the rear. Artillerymen, Train troops and other non-front line troops of the division had no need for them and did not wear them. You will find that most of the helmets do have numbers on the back, as infantry helmets would be the most commonly found on the battlefield. But legitmate Garde division helmets do not have to have numbers.

Chip

[PlaceOfBayonets]

They would have *liked* to see a unit insignia on the back though but thats *not conclusive*.

I did not see any argument there.....

W.

[Hoss]

Eric,

Having a number on the back is not a key to authenticity. Only the front line units of the division wore a company number, whose original purpose was for identification from the rear. Artillerymen, Train troops and other non-front line troops of the division had no need for them and did not wear them. You will find that most of the helmets do have numbers on the back, as infantry helmets would be the most commonly found on the battlefield. But legitmate Garde division helmets do not have to have numbers.

Chip

Thanks Chip
So Front line Infantry would have a white number and Pioneer (etc) red ?

Eric

[Chip M]

Eric,

I am not so sure that the color of the number meant anything. The reason I say that is because two of my three helmets have had the original number painted over with a new number. The original numbers were dark red and were painted over in feldgrau and then a new white number was applied (same number). So the reason was not that the soldier changed companies, but rather that the dark numbers were not perceptible at a distance and therefore they were later replaced with numbers, that showed up much better. Perhaps you have heard of or seen the Austrian helmets with the white recognition rectangles on the back. Same theory.

My third helmet still has the original red company numbers (11).

I have seen at least one good example with a black number. I can't explain that.

Regards,
Chip