Jäger zu Pferde M 1915

[michaelauer21]

Hi - My name is Mike, and I recently got into collecting Imperial German militaria, with a particular interest in headgear. I live in the United States but am originally from Austria, so Austrian militaria has been my primary collecting focus over the past few years.

I recently acquired the following JzP M 1915 from a fellow collector. Before purchasing it, I did some research, and everything appeared to check out. However, as I still have a great deal to learn in this area of collecting, I would very much appreciate feedback from the many knowledgeable members of this community.

Thank you,
Mike

 

[Steve Nick]

It's a good one. Looks to be all original.

 

[JohnS3rd]

Mike,
Very nice JzP.. Are there any unit markings on the helmet? Thanks for sharing.
Best regards
John

 

[michaelauer21]

Thank you for your comments. Unfortunately there are no unit markings on the helmet.

 

[b.loree]

Welcome to the forum. I don't see any problems and it is nice to see those kokarden and chinstrap as most often they are missing.

 

[J.LeBrasseur]

Nice first helmet, congrats!

 

[John Josef]

Welcome to the forum Mike and I agree with the others a very nice complete Helmet Congratulations.

MFG John Josef

 

[ww1czechlegion]

Welcome to the forum. Congrats on acquiring the JzP helmet.

Best Wishes,

Alan

 

[southsando]

Welcome Mike! That is a very nice helm!

 

[cptbob]

Congratulations!

 

[Gunner who?]

Hello Mike,

I am not too keen on Feldgrau, but I am a JzP collector and that is a nice example of an M 15 pattern helmet, congrats! Welcome to the Forum!

Cheers Peter

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Welcome to this forum.
A beautiful and well-made M15 helmet by JzPf. These Model 15 helmets were rarely issued to regiments due to several repeated AKO decisions. Sometimes you can find a small marking:

 

[ww1czechlegion]

Sometime after the weekend, I will have to sort through my unorganized boxes of real photo postcards and CDV's, and Cabinet Cards. I know I have at least one photo of a wartime JzP enlisted helmet being worn by one man flanked by two younger women. I will see if I can find it and post it here.

We find many wartime M15 leather body pickelhaube helmets that are not issue marked because the High Command realized the markings on the leather pickelhaubes provided intelligence information to the Allies about various captured/surrendered troops and troop movements. I suspect this may also be part of the reason why we seldom find an M15 JzP enlisted helmet with a unit mark. I myself have only seen the ersatz kurassier style helmets being marked to the JzP. This example you have posted here is the first time I have ever seen an actual M15 Jzp issue marked. I have seen plenty of pre-M15 JzP helmets being marked mostly to the 8th JzP, and several of the silver trimmed pre-war examples marked to the 7th regiment as well.

Best Wishes,

Alan

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Yes, Alan, that’s correct. As soon as mobilization began, an A.K.O. directive specified that clothing should no longer be marked with regimental insignia so as not to provide information to the enemy. But this directive was not strictly followed. Helmets that had already been marked remained so. The M95 models continued to be marked with regimental insignia.
A reminder was issued in 1915, and indeed, the M15s were rarely marked with unit insignia. Often, only the B.A. was specified.