Another Example of Prussian Frugality/Expediency

[b.loree]

If you collect long enough, you are bound to see helmets which have been "Reworked/Repaired" and reissued. The Prussians were famous for this. Anything that could be repaired was fixed. So here, I am posting a couple of photos showing how pre war visors were stitched back on to other helmets. The visor in question is stamped to JR 14, 1913, IIIB. We most often see these "restitched visors" on pre war helmets which were converted to M15 fittings. In this type of helmet, you will often see enlarged wappen holes where the old brass grommets have been taken out, and double visor stitch lines, one showing the original stitching and another where a second visor was put on. You may also see M15 steel grommets in enlarged holes where they did try and replace these, as per regulation. In this example we see a typical restitch where coarser thread is used and we have larger stitches because they are stitching through every other hole. The photos:

Coarse thread and large stitches are a dead giveaway to a restitch.

The reverse side also tells the story. The fine original stitch holes are obvious. In summary, all pickelhaube collectors should expect to find these expediency measures where damaged helmets were fixed, brass fitting helmets were converted to M15 and older pre war helmets were revamped and upgraded. Once the Schlieffen plan had failed and Paris not captured, the Germans like the Allies had to scramble to expand their Army and equip hundreds of new formations.

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Thank you very much. Here is my entry. It's not uncommon to find old shells that have been disassembled and then reassembled with new stitching.
Below is an old shell, turned inside out. The rear seam under the rear spine, went in front, and side posts were added to make an 1891/95 model in 1914.
The next 2 photos show the old seam, then the new one, behind the side posts.

 

[b.loree]

Thank you Clovis, that is an even more radical example of how an older helmet was changed and upgraded to an M95 configuration. One question Clovis, are the old original wappen holes plugged and filled in on the new back side?

 

[USN]

I have an interesting example that was salvaged by a wurttemberg depot, it wasn't just the Prussians that made use of old and damaged equipment haha.

 

[b.loree]

Wow…! I don’t think that can be beat. I guess an uberzug would be used to hide that nastiness!

 

[USN]

Wow…! I don’t think that can be beat. I guess an uberzug would be used to hide that nastiness!

I had considered it, but I like my frankenhaube. I've never seen another period repair like it, even in photos so to me it is an incredibly unique example!

 

[Sandmann]

I could imagine that this helmet wasn’t in use after this damage. Most likely the person who wore this helmet died or was hardly injured, so a family member prepared it for remembrance.

 

[USN]

I could imagine that this helmet wasn’t in use after this damage. Most likely the person who wore this helmet died or was hardly injured, so a family member prepared it for remembrance.

It's hard to say

 

[Khukri]

Thank you very much. Here is my entry. It's not uncommon to find old shells that have been disassembled and then reassembled with new stitching.
Below is an old shell, turned inside out. The rear seam under the rear spine, went in front, and side posts were added to make an 1891/95 model in 1914.
The next 2 photos show the old seam, then the new one, behind the side posts. View attachment 39653View attachment 39654View attachment 39655

Distription in Larcade's book: before the helmets were pressed in one piece they were stitched at the back. Covered by the spine. Resized/restiched. Visor, neckguard. The old holes for the Wappen filled with leather plugs. Punched at the front for the Wappen. And at the sides for the repositioned sideposts.

 

[Sandmann]

You are absolutely right, Will
But as Francis said, the old repairs were made with plugs or leather patches and painted afterwards or covered by the metal parts if possible. Many of the repairs were real small works of art and almost invisible from the outside.
However, even though the Prussians were very economical and repaired the uniform or equipment when possible, if a repair no longer looked good the part was discarded. Since the wars of unification in the 1860s, the leather helmet no longer had a protective function; instead, the pickelhaube was kept for reasons of tradition. And at that time, Germans were still very proud of their army and wore their uniform with pride. The soldier should look like a strong warrior with a chivalrous appearance. But with such a visible seam, he would look rather penniless. No problem in the field, as the helmet was covered. But for representative occasions, such as parades or private events where the soldier was allowed to wear his uniform, it was unthinkable in my eyes.

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Here is an RBAXVIII M15 i.e. an old Hessian M95, with the holes in the cruciform base and the lion fixings filled with black leather plugs, then lined on the inside with a basane patch.
When these helmets were repaired or recycled in this way, they were unfit for parade, and in this case they were downgraded to trim III or marked G. or Ga (for Garnisonbrauchbar) or F (for Feldbrauchbar).

 

[b.loree]

Wow…! I don’t think that can be beat. I guess an uberzug would be used to hide that nastiness! I am talking about that stitched up Wurtt. Regarding plugs for holes….. they also used black flat head metal split brads. I used to have one of these…. I will see if I can find it.

 

[CLOVIS 57]

The Bavarians made things even simpler. To recycle a Schell M1886, the holes were plugged with aluminium discs with folding lugs. (to confirm B.Loree's comments above)

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Wow…! I don’t think that can be beat. I guess an uberzug would be used to hide that nastiness!

Yes, I agree. That's how, during the mobilisation, the helmets of the fire brigade, police, customs, old decommissioned models etc... could be used, sometimes without modification, at the expense of the Uberzug to hide the misery.
I'll post some photos as soon as I can.

 

[Khukri]

Excellent! Thank you!

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Here's a series of fireman's helmets, modified with a wooden tip, to make an Überzug stand. This subterfuge is not visible when the helmet cover is on.


The same can be found in Tome 1 by Jean-Louis Larcade.



Below is a cardboard fireman's helmet with the banana crest removed and replaced by a regulation spike.






Infra, a fireman's helmet, with the banana crest removed and replaced by a wooden spike screwed directly onto the leather. The chinstrap is still a fireman's chinstrap. No front plate. This helmet was sold at auction, with its period helmet cover, a few years ago. Nominative, it was the subject of an article in Militaria-magazine (France) a few months ago, by its current owner.



All these "firemen" without crest-banana and with wooden tip, have the same fixing, a wood screw and a large washer.

 

[CLOVIS 57]

In keeping with the idea of camouflaging non-regulation by the helmet cover, here are several photos from the period showing customs officers or policemen, mobilised with their "administrative" headdress. Obviously we are lucky not to have a helmet cover, otherwise these observations would be impossible.

Indeed, given the shortcomings of the mobilisation, police officers, customs officers and others were invited to attend recruitment with their administrative helmets on. These police officers, customs officers, etc. were dressed in standard combat gear (with rifles), with only the helmets showing their peacetime duties. The helmet cover was all that was needed to restore their regulation appearance.

 

[pickelhauben]

Clovis
Thanks for the pics.
I had no idea this was ever done.
You do learn something every day !
I may have something to add to the subject.
I have a pristine Pioneer Wurt that seems to have a repaired bullet hole in the plate.
Although I am not sure if it was done wartime or post .
I will try to post pics later this afternoon.
Looks to be patched with lead.

 

[John Josef]

Very interesting topic, especially some of those examples.

Thanks for taking the time to post the photo's.