Description
Physical description
Steel helmet
German Model 1916 steel helmet painted in a brown, green and black camouflage pattern. Complete with leather three-pad lining and chinstrap.
Label
Prior to the introduction of the Model 1916 helmet, most German troops had continued to wear their pre-war headdress. This afforded little real protection against head injury and it was therefore decided to introduce a steel helmet which provided protection not only for the head but for the neck and temple. Following the conclusion of preliminary research work in Berlin, the 1st Assault Battalion under the command of a Captain Rohr received the first shipment of helmets in December 1915 for field testing. These helmets proved so successful that by the end of January 1916, the first 30,000 helmets were issued from the factory in Thale. The frontal plate was primarily designed to protect the wearer against infantry small-arms fire from a distance of about 50 meters and beyond. Because of it's considerable weight, the frontal plate could only be worn for short periods and was unsuited for wear by troops required to move rapidly. It therefore became mainly worn by 'static' troops, including sentinels, forward observers and the like. For this reason it is usually known as the 'sniper' plate. The shape allowed it to be worn on all sizes of helmets. It hooks onto the ventilation lugs on either side of the helmet and is secured in position by a leather strap with a metal buckle.
History note
Prior to the introduction of the Model 1916 helmet, most German troops had continued to wear their pre-war headdress. This afforded little real protection against head injury and it was therefore decided to introduce a steel helmet which provided protection not only for the head but for the neck and temple. Following the conclusion of preliminary research work in Berlin, the 1st Assault Battalion under the command of a Captain Rohr received the first shipment of helmets in December 1915 for field testing. These helmets proved so successful that by the end of January 1916, the first 30,000 helmets were issued from the factory in Thale. The frontal plate was primarily designed to protect the wearer against infantry small-arms fire from a distance of about 50 meters and beyond. Because of it's considerable weight, the frontal plate could only be worn for short periods and was unsuited for wear by troops required to move rapidly. It therefore became mainly worn by 'static' troops, including sentinels, forward observers and the like. For this reason it is usually known as the 'sniper' plate. The shape allowed it to be worn on all sizes of helmets. It hooks onto the ventilation lugs on either side of the helmet and is secured in position by a leather strap with a metal buckle.
NOTE:- See UNI 162B for frontal plate