Took the liberty of trying to enhance your relative. One in Photos on mac and then a free online tool.
Quite a difference with the online AI tool. This is the free version - they do a higher resolution but you have to pay.
https://picsart.com/ai-image-enhancer/photo-restoration/
FW...
Searching on Google.de got this:
Die Markierung "2 RB" auf einer preußischen Artillerie-Pickelhaube steht für das zweite Regiment der Batterie. "RB" steht dabei für "Regimentsbatterie". Diese Markierung gibt an, zu welchem Truppenteil die Pickelhaube gehörte
English translation:
The marking...
If it is 2 RB Google AI tells me this:
The marking "2 Rb" on Prussian artillery likely refers to the 2nd Battery of the 2nd Regiment of Foot Artillery (2. Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 2). The "2" indicates the specific battery within the regiment, and "Rb" is an abbreviation for "Regiment...
Nice job.
When I fix mine I use Aleene's Leather and Suede Glue. Hard to see when it dries. I have done both direct end to end and with a backing (using old original leather from an old liner).
Really intersting museum in Koblez. A lot of military technology but some good First World War stuff as well:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundeswehr_Museum_of_German_Defense_Technology
Mayener Str. 85, 56070 Koblenz, Germany
That is what I have learned from the internet. It was also supposedly taken from a German WWI Pilot.
This site had another one for sale:
https://www.flyingtigerantiques.com/wwi-imperial-german-aviation-patriotic-pin-eagle-gripping-iron-cross.html
Thanks James.
They say buy the item, not the story, but the lady who sold it to me (from Winnipeg Manitoba), said her Grandfather brought it back from WWI. So a bit of history.