Franco-Prussian War: Pierced Helmet CO 7.Kürassier Regiment

Khukri

Khukri

Well-known member
Maximilian Graf von Schmettow served from 1858 untill 1871 in the Kürassier-Regiment Nr.7 and was the Commanding Officer of the Regiment during the Battle of Mars La Tour. The photographs must have have been made prior to his promotion to Major in 1866.







This photograph shows Maximilian Graf von Schmettow's helmet-pierced by two bullets-during the Battle of Mars-La-Tour without wounding the CO.


 
The helmet is not known to be on display in a museum in Germany.
Perhaps it stayed in the family...
Grtz,
Khukri
 
Wow, great find to have all 3-CDV's. The close-up of the helmet is really incredible!

I recently aquired a photo of a Wurttemburg e.m. lying in a hospital bed w/his damaged helmet sitting on a night stand beside the bed. His head is all bandaged up, and it looks like the bullet went thru the spike base area, as the entire spike is bent over and ripped up near the spike base from the bullet hole. I'll have to figure out how to upload a scan of the postcard later this week.

Great Photo Grouping, Congrats!

Alan
 
A later portrait of the Count.

Regards
Glenn

graf0001.jpg
 
Yeah, but it seems something happened to his hair... :D maybe it was kinda "shave-schrapnell" or some other secret chemical weapon that caused the damage to the helmet... :p

Adler
 
Simply "Gone with the Wind...."

Man; I'd love to see some more pics of this helmet....
 
Allways ahead of his Kürassiere: Major von Schmettow ( the furture CO of the 8.K Regiment).
During the running over of a Machinegun Battery he suddenly felt a breeze of wind on his bald skull - the first bullet had pierced both his helmet and the small pocket book he used to put on his head...Soon after the second bullet pierced his helmet...

Comment: I would say the book in the photograph is..... not the pocket book....


Seinen Kürassieren immer voran war Major v. Schmettow, der spätere Regimentskommandeur des Kürassierregiments v. Geßler Nr. 8, geblieben. Beim Ueberreiten einer Mitrailleusenbatterie spürte er plötzlich einen Luftzug über seinen kahlen Schädel - die erste Kugel, die durch seinen Helm und das Taschentuch, das er sich auf den Kopf zu legen pflegte, ging. Bald darauf pfiff die zweite Kugel durch den Helm, wieder dicht über seinen Kopf weg.
 
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