Original Item: One of a Kind. This is definitely the most impressive example of a USGI Decorated "Bring Back" helmet shell that we have ever seen. It looks to have been captured later in the war, and is fitted with an M17 style steel liner band, while the leather of the liner itself and the chinstrap are completely missing. The original green paint used during the first world war is still present on both the interior and exterior, however it is the decorations that were added after the war during the Armistice period that really set it apart.

It looks like a very talented USGI artist took this helmet and made it something truly exceptional, which would make a magnificent display piece as part of any collection. The front of the helmet was decorated with a large black banner reading 368 PRUSSIAN, with a Black - White - Red "Imperial" cockade painted above, and the Black - White - Black Prussian cockade below. That the unit marking says Prussian and not Preußisch or Preußen definitely indicates that it was an English speaker who did the decorations. Below this is a nicely stylize ARGONNE, for the forested area in France. Flanking the decorations on the front are two large battle axes with black and red heads.

The top of the helmet is marked with the Tatzenkreuz (Paw Cross or Cross pattée), as used in many German designs, most notably the "Iron Cross" award, while the rear top has a large black and white CHAMPAGNE painted on, for the region of France. The right side of the helmet under the vent lug has a very well executed Royal Crown of Prussia, and the rear left has a lovely "Lesser" coat of arms of the German Empire. The rear right has a very interesting Totenkopf (Death's Head) drawing, with a spike on top of the skull, and this is surrounded by drawings of graves. Above this is the German motto GOTT MIT UNS ('God [is] with us').

The decorations on the helmet are still all visible and while they do show wear, it looks like honest wear from use and storage. It is very possible that the helmet was worn at veterans events and such after the owner got back home, which could explain why the wear to the top decorations is the most pronounced.

The interior of the helmet still retains the original green paint well, and there is a German name that we can't quite make out written in black on the rear left interior, the usual way that German soldiers marked their names. The right interior in front of the chinstrap lug is named and dated in white paint by a USGI in a very stylized manner, so we believe that they were the one who painted the exterior. The marking reads:

AbNER
      GREEN
      FRANCE
      4-11-19

There is another name in white paint at the rear of the interior, which is unfortunately partly missing, and as best we can tell the remains read:

T. E. CAF????
8 - 14 - 18

The third name on the interior is clear, also in white paint, but this time on the inner left side, and reads:

Lt. E. S. Lyne.
        4-11-19.

We're not quite sure how to interpret the presence of three names on the interior. Maybe the name in the back is the person who captured it, and then it was given to Lt. Lyne, who went to Abner Green to have it painted as a display piece. Research indicates that Lt. E. S. Lyne was a Signals Officer in the 72nd Infantry Brigade, part of the 36th Infantry Division during WWI. We were not able to locate any information regarding Abner Green, and it's possible that he was a Civilian. We unfortunately have not been able to locate any other real details, and with the name in the back not legible, it is unlikely that we'll ever be able to figure out the whole story regarding why the helmet was decorated.

We can however glean some information from the locations and the unit marking on the front of the shell. The Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 368 was a real unit, raised in July of 1915 during the war, as detailed on this website: IR 368. The Argonne Forest / Champagne region were both in North East France, and definitely had German offensives during 1918 that were countered by U.S. Forces, which would have enabled the capture of the helmet. We also have found that the 368th was part of the 213rd Infantry Division, which was in the Reims area (Champagne) all through 1918, and specifically at the Meuse–Argonne offensive, where the U.S. 36th Infantry Division also saw action. Definitely still lots of research potential left in this fantastic piece.

The shell itself is totally correct for a WWI German issued helmet, and is stamped Si66 indicating that Eisenhuette Silesia in Paruschowitz Oberschlesien manufactured it. This company made shells in sizes 62 and 66 for the war effort. Size 66 is a nice large size that can accommodate liners from 58cm to 60cm or US 7 1/4 to 7 1/2. Size 66 shells are always hard to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector. There is a rolling mill mark dome stamp of B i 3 0 5, indicating that Bismarckhutte in Oberschlesien made the steel. This is the usual dome stamp for an "Si" marked helmet.

The helmet still has both of the dome headed chinstrap retaining rivets, which hold the interior pickelhaube style chin strap lugs in place, and there is still a chinstrap loop present on the left side. The shell also retains both of the extended ventilation side lugs, which are the correct short version without any step for the larger size 66 shell. This would ensure proper installation of a Stirnpanzer brow plate regardless of shell size. All three liner split pins are present, including the correct thicker rear pin, and still retain their original paint. They hold the later "M17" pattern steel liner band in place.

This wonderful Named & Dated USGI Decorated Bring back helmet shell is offered in very nice collectible condition, and would make an eye catching addition to any Great War collection. The great research potential really adds to the highly decorated piece. Ready to display!

History of the M16 Helmet

The Stahlhelm was introduced into regular service during the Verdun campaign in early 1916.

The M1916 design had side-mounted horn-like ventilator lugs which were intended to be support for an additional steel brow plate or Stirnpanzer, which only ever saw limited use by snipers and trench raiding parties, as it was too heavy for general use.

The shell came in different sizes, from 60 to 68, with some size 70s reported. The suspension, or liner, consisted of a headband with three segmented leather pouches, each holding padding materials, and leather or fabric cords could be adjusted to provide a comfortable fit. The one-piece leather chinstrap was attached to the shell by M1891 chinstrap lugs, the same kind used in the Pickelhaube helmet.

The M1916 design provided excellent protection: Reserve Lieutenant Walter Schulze of 8th Company Reserve Infantry Regiment 76 described his combat introduction to the helmet on the Somme, 29 July 1916:

"... suddenly, with a great clanging thud, I was hit on the forehead and knocked flying onto the floor of the trench... a shrapnel bullet had hit my helmet with great violence, without piercing it, but sufficiently hard to dent it. If I had, as had been usual up until a few days previously, been wearing a cap, then the Regiment would have had one more man killed."

But the helmet was not without its flaws. The ventilator horns often let cold air in during the winter, requiring the wearer to block the vents with mud or fabric. The large, flared skirt tended to make it difficult for soldiers to hear, distorting surrounding sounds and creating an echo when the wearer spoke.

Originally painted Feldgrau (field grey), the Stahlhelm was often camouflaged by troops in the field using mud, foliage, cloth covers, and paint. Official issue cloth covers in white and grey appeared in late 1916 and early 1917. Camouflage paint was not formally introduced until July 1918, when German Army Order II, No 91 366, signed by General Erich Ludendorff on 7 July 1918, outlined official standards for helmet camouflage. The order stipulated that helmets should be painted in several colors, separated by a finger-wide black line. The colors should be relevant to the season, such as using green, brown and ocher in summer.

After the effectiveness of the M1916 design was validated during the 1916 campaigns, incremental improvements were subsequently made.