M95 Posts [Again]

S

spikeymikey

Member
I know both Tony and Joe have covered the M95 1mm v 3mm issue and I've checked them both out several times which has been very informative.
I have two helmets both of which have M95 3mm fittings, one is eigentumstuck and one issue. The P/P has a lot of Officer features. The issue helmet is a straight M95 Prussian line helmet with the name of a "Deinster", which I think is a private - right?, and has a shuttered spine, normal size undecorated spike et all. Why would a regular enlisted private's helmet have the 3mm side posts which could take a set of M95 scales as well? What am I missing on this? :?
 
Is that helmet unit marked? Train battalions wore curved mounted troop chinscales right up to 1914, on a helmet which looks just like a standard Infantry. T
 
Hi Tony. Good point but I had'nt considered it being Train because yes, it is unit marked - to JR.140. What I forgot to mention is that it has two issue dates, 1898 and 1914. It came with no strap/scales but I do have originals of both to put on it. But in the field it would have needed a 3mm. mounted strap - right? Or did they have the little canvas 'sleeves' for the scales for service wear pre-1914?
Cheers,

Mike.
 
Hi Mike,

You might be surprised if you actually tried to fit a pair of chinscales on your 3mm gap M91 posts. I just went and measured a couple with scales removed, and the gaps averaged 4mm. So although the average mounted troop chinscale end is 3mm wide, it will not fit on a M91 post with a gap of only 3mm. So I would say these are just wide M91 posts, a manufacturers variation. Besides, only Garde Infantry and a few others wore chinscales in garrison/parade and chinstraps in the field. JR.140 is just a line Regt and would not have worn chinscales after the M1887 Pickelhaube. T
 
Thanks Tony. I wondered about makers differences being a factor. I think thats what is happening here. I had hoped that there might have been some kind of 'NCO' thing going on but alas, nevermind. The 'NCO' helmet to me is a real grey area, to say the least. Bowman discusses it and mentions an NCO style of wider visor trim, no shutter and M95 scales adding up to an NCO without necessarily having the less ornate perlring on the spike throat. And www.germanmilitaria lists all his issue helmets as EM/NCO and they all look like EM's to me- again, no perlring. They do not have cockades or straps/scales so........? If the ordinary soldier became an NCO was he then issued with a pair of Unteroffizer cockades to replace the mannschaft cockades on his normal pattern EM 'haube without any other modifications to it?

I'll go do some research. :)
 
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