Francobritishcollect
Active member
Dear All
Once it had become clear that a steel helmet was the way forward, the French Government asked several French manufacturers to place a bid to manufacture a new helmet. The firm Franck & Co placed a bid with a helmet made in “acier trempé” but the project was rejected because the material was assessed unsuitable. Franck & Co lost the contract but went on to produce helmets for the exclusive use of private market, namely officers, who were to wiling to have something a bit more comfortable and fancy that the issue helmet.
This is one of those helmets, for an engineer officer.
Note the variance in form and style to the standard Adrian helmet.
This type of helmet was eventually prohibited at the front line as early as 1916 but some officers still kept theirs until the end of the war.
Not a common thing to come across.
Best
Once it had become clear that a steel helmet was the way forward, the French Government asked several French manufacturers to place a bid to manufacture a new helmet. The firm Franck & Co placed a bid with a helmet made in “acier trempé” but the project was rejected because the material was assessed unsuitable. Franck & Co lost the contract but went on to produce helmets for the exclusive use of private market, namely officers, who were to wiling to have something a bit more comfortable and fancy that the issue helmet.
This is one of those helmets, for an engineer officer.
Note the variance in form and style to the standard Adrian helmet.
This type of helmet was eventually prohibited at the front line as early as 1916 but some officers still kept theirs until the end of the war.
Not a common thing to come across.
Best
