WW1 Photo Help Request

[Frankreich1918]

Hello-

First-timer on this forum and a little outside of my field so please excuse my ignorance:

I recently came across a group of images of four German soldiers taken with various equipment that I can not identify. Each is marked in pencil on the back with 1915 and Vosegen

The first shows them wearing goggles and some kind of bag respirators that I assume are early protective gas masks. The second shows them wearing skull caps (private purchased?) and standard-looking gas masks. The third is the same four men without anything special.

Thanks for your time and help!

[Frankreich1918]

Test reply

[byterock]

The first pic the chaps are wearing Draeger Tubben re-breather and you can find more info here http://www.therebreathersite.nl/Zuur...ter-tubben.htm

Used in mining and closed space rescue/fire fighting. The skull cap is another helmet used in mining.

I would check about a bit and see it there was any Mining going on in that sector at that time,.

[Gran Sasso]

The second shows them wearing skull caps (private purchased?)

This is 1st german steelhelmet at all, called "Helm Armeeabteilung Gaede". Those helmets were made at the beginning of WWI, at the Vogeses battles. To reduce the headwounds, 1500 helmts were localy made without orders given from the high command, leading to most of those were melted in soon after, so today only a handfull are know.
Its a leather cap with thick iron shell, protecting the forehead and nose only.

[pauke]

mining

If these fellows are on or near Hartmannweilerskopf in the Vogesen there was plenty of mining in a stone landscape.