My ultimate Officers Spiked Helmet

[Chris Boonzaier]

Although it does not have the Landwehr Cross, this actually belonged to a very young Reserve officer.... I have wanted a named Leib Regiment helmet for a loooooooooong time.....

[scottplen]

Beautiful ! 

[Chris Boonzaier]

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 2^nd Class 27.03.1918

MVO 4^th Class with swords 09.05.1918

Iron Cross 1^st Class 22.08.1918

 

[Stuka f]

Very nice helmet, and great to have the history.

[Chris Boonzaier]

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...

 

 

 

[Chris Liontas]

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 May 29, 2019 by Chris Liontas

[Bayern]

Hello, Flanderngrippe , possibly was Flandersflu .