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    My ultimate Officers Spiked Helmet


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    Here is the mans WW1 history

    After graduating from Gymnasium he joined the Military as a Landsturm Rekrut Wartime volunteer. His first posting, on the 30.11.1915 was to the Schneeschuh Ersatz Abteilung as he was an experienced skier.

    While at the Battalion he took the course for qualifying as an Offiziers Aspirant (1.5.-20.6.16) run by the Bay. Gebirgs Infanterie Ersatz Bataillon. He finished top of his class

    He qualified with the Gewehr 98, M.G. 08, Pistole 08, Hand Grenade thrower, Zeis Entfernungsmesser and Military Skier.

    On the 22.6.1916 he was promoted to >Gefreiter and became a Reserve Offizier Aspirant

    3.7.-8.7.16 he was on a Specialist course for handgrenade throwers at Lager Lechfeld

    On the 13.10.1916 he transferred to the Gebirgs Maschinengewehr Kompagnie

    3.1. – 22.1.1917 Magine Gun Course at Hammelburg

    19.03.1917 1. M.G.K. I.L.R.

    Took part in positional warfare on the Putna 19.03.-07.04.1917, positional warfare in Ober Elsass 17.6.-26.06.17

    27.6.17 4. Komp. Ersatz Batl. I.L.R.

    2.9.17  Unteroffizier

    3.7. – 3.10.17 Course for Fahnenjünker and Offizier Aspiranten in Grafenwöhr

    5.11. 17 1. M.G.K. I.L.R.

    11.11. Vizefeldwebel

    Took part in the campaign in Italy including the advance from Tagliamento to the Piave 6.11.-11.11.17 and the positional warfare on the Piave/Mountain warfare in the venetian alps until 22.1.1918 then Positional warfare in Lorraine and the Vosges mountains from the 29.1.-8.4.18

    Promoted 24.3.1918 Lt. D. Res

    Finally fighting in Flanders near Armentiers 10.4.-18.4.18

    24.3.1918 Lt. D. Res

    22.4.- 6.5. in Hospital with Flanderngrippe

    22.10. Pneumonia in Hospital Belgrad, transferred to Hospital in Neustadt

    19.11. Posted  to the Ersatz Machinen Gewehr Komp. I. A.K.

    03.12.18 released from Service

    Awards

    Bavarian Life Saving medal 25.7.1916

    Iron Cross 2nd Class 27.03.1918

    MVO 4th Class with swords 09.05.1918

    Iron Cross 1st Class 22.08.1918

     

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    11 hours ago, Stuka f said:

    Very nice helmet, and great to have the history.

    Indeed.

    The helmet is not a one looker, but I am very certain of the name inside it... so I had turned down a number of one lookers over the last few years and tended towards this because it had a name to an (initially) obscure officer...

    I E-showed it to a guy who really knows his stuff to get all the pros and cons... We all know how it is... anything that could raise a question is bad in this hobby and I wanted to take everything into account.

    Here are the "things to think about"

    1) The Helmet is for a regular officer and not reserve, ie. no Landwehr Cross.

    2)The badge is also the variation that was worn up until 1914.

    3) The chinscales are later M91 scales and are usually worn with posts, not rosettes, but with rosettes you do not really notice this unless you look really carefully.

    According to Colonel J.....

    The Landwehr Cross thing is not really an issue, they were very often not worn as the war progressed.

    The Plate worn up until 1914. The man in question was promoted in 1918, but Pickelhaube were expensive and for young officers buying "used" was not uncommon.

    Lastly, most importantly ... the chinscales. For me not a deal breaker, things break, things get repaired, things get replaced. Leib Regiment officers can be seen wearing their helmets at parades and funerals well into the 20s. They would normally raise a question but for me the origin of the piece takes away any worry that it is a recent addition. For me the helmet is an absolute keeper, so any worries about it being a red light if I ever wanted to sell it are secondary.

    So no rose without a thorn, but for me still a beauty...

     

     

     

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    • 2 weeks later...

    Great helmet and history Chris!    What a find to get them both together.   

        Honestly if COL J says the plate is good, it’s good.   He’s amazing at the history and wear of the plates and covers.   

       What would flanderengrippe be?   Like a trench foot?

    Edited by Chris Liontas
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