Description
Physical description
helmet
Bowl-shaped steel helmet, green painted with a textured finish, featuring a wide brim of simple pressed construction fitted with edging to the rim. The liner is of MK I pattern, comprising two part construction of an oval crown pad of lint, asbestos, and felt, and an American cloth tongueless headband padded with cotton wool, lint and canvas (to the underside) and attached to a netted head band support. To the outside of this support (between the skull cradle and the helmet shell) is attached a series of 12 tubular-shaped rubber buffers. A complex leather chinstrap system is fitted on top of the oval pad and threads down either side of the liner, being passed through two rectangular wire bales, one either side of the rim, and coupled to a second strap that is the chinstrap proper, that features a single-prong metal buckle. The entire two-piece liner and pad are held fast to the crown of the helmet shell by a single copper rivet that passes through the leather strap and pad.
Label
First World War British Army issue Mark I steel helmet ('shrapnel helmet'). This type of helmet began to be issued circa May 1916 and, based on the experiences of the earlier Brodie pattern, the Mark I included a two-part liner and thin mild steel folded rim. The Mark I became the standard issue British helmet for the remainder of the war.
History note
By March 1916, some 140,000 helmets (Type 'A', 'B', and 'War Office' pattern) had been issued to troops serving on the Western Front, but being as they were regarded as "trench stores" issue was very limited and there were not enough to enable soldiers to claim their own personal issue. Medical evidence had confirmed the value of the shrapnel helmets as severe heads wounds had decreased amazingly, therefore production was urged to speed up, but prior to this, those helmets that had been evaluated under field conditions had highlighted some criticism, including that the paint finish was to shiny; the helmet was too round and shallow; the liner was slippery, and that the edge of the brim was sharp and could cause injury. To counter this, a new liner and chinstrap assembly was devised; edging applied to the rim, and a non-reflective textured paint would be used. 1,000 modified helmets were then sent for front line evaluation and these were initially approved by 15th May, 1916, and given full approval in July by which time 1,000,000 were in service. By September of that year the new helmet was known as the "Helmet, Steel, Mark I".
Stamped (under brim at rear)
printed (on label inside)
ZB 47
TIGHTEN NET AND ADJUST NET TO FIT THE HEAD