Anthony Charles
New member
Anthony C. Meldahl, Spike Helmets. Article Part 5
Ersatz Spike Helmet Book, Research/translations
Document I found in Munich 1989. I spent 2 weeks in this archive.
(ACM Doc #5.) Herman Weissenburger & Co. Stuttgatt Cannstatt. 22 December 1914. Wuert/Stuttgart HStA. M1/6 1345.
From: Herman Weissenburg & Co. Stuttgart Canstatt. Metal Products, Military Equipment, Fire Department Equipment and Helmets.
Stuttgart Cannstadt
December 22, 1914
To: The Royal Wuerttemberg Ministry of War. Administration Department. Stuttgart
Subject; Spike Helmets
It honors us to be able to be able to respond to the correspondence from the Royal Bekleidungsamt (Clothing Issue Office) in Ludwigsburg regarding the order for 60,000 tin infantry spike helmets and to reply to the Royal Ministry of War that we were able to obtain all the material needed to fill this order and furthermore that the preliminary work has progresses so far that we will no longer be able to make any changes to these helmets without incurring serious financial loss.
Regarding the danger posed by these helmets when a soldier wearing them is hit in the head (through the helmet) by a bullet, we would like to let you know that we did ballistic trials with our helmets and that we fire shots from a range of 500 meters into the side of the helmet that the bullet penetrated one side of the helmet but did not touch the other side. The result was that the bullet was met by a significant amount of resistance when it hit the tin helmet and therefore the danger to the wearer was greatly reduced.
Every type of spike helmet be it leather, felt, tin or whatever, a bullet can hit the metal (brass) fittings and the front plate (state crest) and rip off some metal fragments which the bullet will carry into the soldiers head. The danger posed by our helmets is no greater than that posed by the other types of helmets.
We would like to mention that ever since the Jaeger zu Pferde branch of the Army was introduced we have produced the metal spike helmet bodies for them as well as for the Garde du Corps and the Garde Kurrassier and provided these helmets to intermediate firms in Berlin such as Damaschke, Wunderlich, Unterwalder and others. Ever since the outbreak of the war and up to the present day we have regularly received orders from these companies.
Since leather, felt and now cork have become difficult to obtain, we have gone back to producing spike helmets of tin, which after leather is the best material for making helmets. If it is possible for us, after filling this order, to be in the position to produce helmets from another material, we will not hesitate to supply you with a sample.
In order for you to conduct your own ballistics trails with our tin helmets, we will be happy to provide you with unfinished helmet shells, so please let us know if you need them. Best wishes, signed Herman Weissenburger & Co
Ersatz Spike Helmet Book, Research/translations
Document I found in Munich 1989. I spent 2 weeks in this archive.
(ACM Doc #5.) Herman Weissenburger & Co. Stuttgatt Cannstatt. 22 December 1914. Wuert/Stuttgart HStA. M1/6 1345.
From: Herman Weissenburg & Co. Stuttgart Canstatt. Metal Products, Military Equipment, Fire Department Equipment and Helmets.
Stuttgart Cannstadt
December 22, 1914
To: The Royal Wuerttemberg Ministry of War. Administration Department. Stuttgart
Subject; Spike Helmets
It honors us to be able to be able to respond to the correspondence from the Royal Bekleidungsamt (Clothing Issue Office) in Ludwigsburg regarding the order for 60,000 tin infantry spike helmets and to reply to the Royal Ministry of War that we were able to obtain all the material needed to fill this order and furthermore that the preliminary work has progresses so far that we will no longer be able to make any changes to these helmets without incurring serious financial loss.
Regarding the danger posed by these helmets when a soldier wearing them is hit in the head (through the helmet) by a bullet, we would like to let you know that we did ballistic trials with our helmets and that we fire shots from a range of 500 meters into the side of the helmet that the bullet penetrated one side of the helmet but did not touch the other side. The result was that the bullet was met by a significant amount of resistance when it hit the tin helmet and therefore the danger to the wearer was greatly reduced.
Every type of spike helmet be it leather, felt, tin or whatever, a bullet can hit the metal (brass) fittings and the front plate (state crest) and rip off some metal fragments which the bullet will carry into the soldiers head. The danger posed by our helmets is no greater than that posed by the other types of helmets.
We would like to mention that ever since the Jaeger zu Pferde branch of the Army was introduced we have produced the metal spike helmet bodies for them as well as for the Garde du Corps and the Garde Kurrassier and provided these helmets to intermediate firms in Berlin such as Damaschke, Wunderlich, Unterwalder and others. Ever since the outbreak of the war and up to the present day we have regularly received orders from these companies.
Since leather, felt and now cork have become difficult to obtain, we have gone back to producing spike helmets of tin, which after leather is the best material for making helmets. If it is possible for us, after filling this order, to be in the position to produce helmets from another material, we will not hesitate to supply you with a sample.
In order for you to conduct your own ballistics trails with our tin helmets, we will be happy to provide you with unfinished helmet shells, so please let us know if you need them. Best wishes, signed Herman Weissenburger & Co