The War To End all Wars: A History of the Helmets of World War One 

after the brodie helmet was introduced the british counter intuitively noted an increase in the number of headwounds reported at aid stations. somewhat confused they conducted a study to see if the helmet was actually increasing the number of headwounds. it was found, in fact, to actually decreasing the lethality of headwounds allowing more men to survive to be brought back to aid stations.

The stahlhelm was so good even Darth Vador used a version of it .

AFAIK there was only one American unit that wore the French helmet: the 369th Infantry Regiment; aka, the Harlem Hellfighters. Woodrow Wilson refused to allow black soldiers to serve in combat and restricted them to labor battalions. To circumvent this, General Pershing -- who knew the worth of black soldiers -- loaned the Harlem Hellfighters to the French Armee. The French were impressed and awarded the unit a Croix de Guerre and several hundred individual soldiers the Croix de Guerre. It is said that the 369th was the first American unit to go into combat and the last to leave. I salute their bravery.

The Kevlar US helmet when introduced was, funnily enough, quickly nicknamed "the Fritz", for obvious reasons.

Thank you for the excellent presentation! A fun-fact regarding the introduction of the Stahlhelm: when the British troops first saw the German Stahlhelm, to the British it resembled a chamber pot which, in British slang, was called a "Jerry". Thus the origin of the British nickname for the German troops: "Jerrys". Keep up the great hat histories!

A very close friend of mine, Arthur Purcell, who served in the American 91st “Wild West” division in 1918, in Belgium, and France, told me the real killer in the first world war was the artillery. More so than machine guns. What was absolutely vital was to be able to hear the distinctive whistle of an incoming shell before it hit to take cover. He said the Brody helmet was much better for this than the German helmets. Having tried on several captured German helmets at the time, he found they attenuated the sound from above, and he thought it was very much a disadvantage for them.

I find it interesting that each of these helmets appears to be inspired by each cultures' Middle Ages.

Good to hear you mention the Brodie was initially trench stores. It's this level of detail that confirms the quality of these videos.

Someone on YT said that after the Battle Bowler was issued to the British troops in WW1 that head injuries actually increased in number and the General Staff wanted to withdraw the helmet u til a more numerical officer pointed out that prior to the adoption of the helmet many of those with head injuries would have been recorded as killed in action. Sense prevailed and the helmet became a British and Commonwealth icon.

HelmetHistorian

I doubt anyone can look at the Adrian without thinking of Kirk Douglas in 'Paths To Glory'. Fabulous film.

Churchill wrote that he preferred the Adrian as it was more comfortable than the Mk I Brodie. I think he just liked to stand out from the crowd.

Thanks. I'd like a brief mention re the quality of steel used. The British helmets used high manganese "Hadfield" steel. Upping the manganese content a lot to around 14 %, yields some cool qualities mostly that if really good impact resistance . I shot up my U.S. Army M1 helmet before turning it in back in the '80's. Just a .22 long rifle but fully jacketed, hyper velocity, and a 16" barrel. The bullets would barely penetrate the (even better) Hadfield steel, then stop at the fiberglass liner. I'd definitely want one on if bits of metal were flying around. Thanks.

Firearms didn't make armor obsolote. That is the common myth. Even during Napoleonic wars there were units like French cuirassier that used armor mostly bullet proof against long range fire and very usefull in close range combat against cold steel weapons. The problem is for one it is impractical for the way warfare developed and it is also super expensive to equip every single soldier with it. Armor became obsolete only with invention of machine guns and regular infantry using automatic weapons on daily basis. And even then there are instances of some specialized forces still using armor. Actually even today we have bulletproof armor, vests etc.

I’ve collected Armies In Plastic toy WWI soldiers when I was a teenager. They included German troops in Pickelhalbe & Stathelm helmets, French troops in Adrian helmets, British troops in steel helmets, & US doughboys & Marines, who wore the same helmets that British troops wore in the war.

The Adrian is, by far, the most elegant of them

You really know your subject matter wells. Hats off to the quality of your presentation. Well done.

I used to have a photo of myself in a German firefighter uniform, and yes, it was a red Stahlhelm. Tornado took it.😢

7:15 Italy too had their version of the Adrian, with it being green instead of blue

Great video, like always. Thank you for taking the time to focus on World War 1. It always seems to be overshadowed by World War 2 documentaries.

The stahlhelm saved my great grandfather's life in WW I, he was an Imperial Stormtrooper, one of the few to survive and retire, sadly he died when news of the second one started, just died on the porch in his rocking chair,

Je serais très curieux de voir votre collection ! Cette évocation était très complète et détaillée !

Absolutely fascinating. Excellent, clear exposition. A very enjoyable series. One comment, if I may, regarding the map at the beginning. It shows the alliances BEFORE hostilities when Italy was part of the Triple Alliance. Upon the outbreak of war, however, Italy declared neutrality. When she entered the war Italy fought on the Entente (Allied) side alongside France and Great Britain in the arena principally against Austria-Hungary. This in no way detracts from your excellent presentation.

Seems I was right when I said before the Adrian helmet I saw in the film about the mortar was a hint for the next film... Well done and thanks !

Great Video

Bravo, un documentaire excellemment préparé

Tu fais délirer avec la manière dont tu présentes ! Comme d'hab, excellent traitement du sujet. La barbe et la coupe de cheveux? Nickel.

Fascinating.Thanks for another great video.

Really enjoyed this vid. Thanks for the education.

Another excellent presentation, thanks. 👌👌❤️❤️

I'm still a little in awe of how naturally armies looked backwards to medieval helmets for modern inspiration.

Really interesting stuff - very well presented.

I love the Adrian helmet

Thank you for using "Infamous" the correct way. Too many people use it trying convay famous but not knowing infamous is a negative description. Since you mentioned the M1 helmet, I hope you will do an episode on it's development.

Very good presentation,very infomative.thankyou

I love this new format and think it will take off!

Great stuff. Many thanks for such interesting videos. Best wishes from England

Thanks. ✌🏻👊🏼

The Brodie helmet was optimised for defence against air bursts thus the wide brim. In WW2 troops were in a more mobile war and needed to cope with air bursts whilst prone in the open so took to wearing the helmet tilted back ready for taking cover prone.

The Adrian was definitely the best looking helmet in my opinion.

Tjrs passionnant! Merci

Excellent channel. I'm thinking it should have higher numbers. Everyone should see this content.

Toujours aussi passionnant et instructif. Et quel accent !

great vid top stuff

Just found your channel. Love it. I am a helmet collector. My ex wife is 1/2 Latvian. That nugget of information on the Brodie helmet was very interesting to us both. Looking forward to more great hat and helmet videos! Thanks!

I’d be interesting to see the linings of the different helmets. Great videos!, great work!

I just found this channel and the name alone has made me subscribe

ce CHARISME ! 20/20 ♥ ♥ ♥

Just discovered this channel and I am binging all the videos. As a side note, post-WW II the surplus Stahlhelms were re-worked and re-purposed into pots and pans and other kitchenwares due to postwar shortage. There's an RU-vid video on that process.

And the first Flash used a Bodie helmet. Like Mercury

Very interesting. The Adrian helmet was also used by Italy, who also made their own version in two pieces, the M16.

the perfect youtube channel!

As soon as the Jerry helmet appeared on your head I could see it was by far superior to the other helmets.

Excellent ! Je m’abonne et je partage .

I am new to your videos. But very well done! Hats are for cover first, decoration second!

A great, informative video... the major problem with the British and Commonwealth 'Brodie' helmet, was that the flared brim caught by a nearby explosion could break the soldiers neck if the strap was used... to counter this, the troops left the chin strap loose, opening your silent night-time patrol to the very real danger of dropping your noisy clanging metal helmet onto the ground, giving your position away... trust me, they make a racket! So the soldiers ended up using balaclava 'helmets' on night raids. Stealth and silence were more important than safety. The British Commandos continued using balaclava on operations throughout WWII. No doubt there are some SAS, SEALS, and commandos wearing a balaclava in the field today.

The Brodie helmet seemed to offer better protection for the shoulders , but not so much for the neck . Although i believe the British design , being more rounded , helped to deflect a direct bullet strike .

Now this is quality RU-vid content.

Vivement la partie française!!

2:20 No, breastplates were used as a protection from guns for a long time. Also, bullet proof is term used for armour that was shot, and you could see dent in it as proof that you are safe from guns

you look good with some facial hair. Love these videos too. I am an artist researching hats, these are great :)

I love your hats

British and Empire troops went to war wearing a steel helmet having its genesis in the Battle of Agincourt to deflect arrows raining down on them. Despite the ancient design the "Broady" helmet provided protection during The Great War, right up to the early months of WW2.A different design providing greater protection than the Broady was introduced. This one lasted from then right through America's war in SE Asia. Now, NATO pact military personnel wear a hard hat similar to the German "Coal Scuttle"design of WW2. My comment hrte comes from personal observation rather than any study.

Good presentation, well researched and delivered. Wondering if a part two might deal with headgear used by Russian, Italian, Serbian, Austro-Hungarian, Turkish and Japanese troops.

I like the beard! I also like the video, great subject and I wouldn't mind seeing more helmet videos in the future.

When i joined the Army in 1976 we still had the steel helmets ( Battle Bowler) though we were supposed to wear them in the field generally we wore our beret instead, when we could. The helmet had an inner called a spider, (much different to the WW2 inner) which if i remember was measured to your head size and it clipped inside. Apart from the weight it was comfortable enough even in hot weather. When the new kevlar helmet came out it had a fitted sponge and leather front and back which would get soaked in sweat in the day cool down at night the leather was now cold and wet this seemed to cause most of us a headache. Soldiers did what soldiers do, they adapted them and tried many ways of making it fit for purpose. It was a god awful thing. Long since then there have been many changes to the helmet so I understand. I wonder what modern infantry think of them, Good, Bad? 🤔I would like to try one just to see how they feel. Though im far too bloody old to be running around in it under proper conditions😆

The Italian 'Adrian' helmet did not have a seperate brim but was moulded from the bowl in a manner similar to the later Russian Solberg helmet

The US M1917 helmet employed somewhat improved metallurgy compared to the Brodie.

Toujours aussi bien , n'empêche ça pourrait être cool une collaboration avec Néo035 par exemple au vu du nombre important de couvres chefs dans ses vidéos :) Faudrait que je lui envoie ta chaine , surtout que parfois il laisse madame prendre les rênes pour parler du côté civil donc aussi des couvres chefs.

I always thought the stahlhelm lugs were for gas masks, but it turns out that's not the case. Honestly, I feel pretty silly about it because that would be very hard to seal. Thank you for your video. Very informative, as always!

Thank you for a very interesting video, have you covered the development of the U.S. cavalry cap? I would interested in how its shape was evolved.

Just a small nitpick: on your first map you have Italy coloured in as a part of Germany/Austria-Hungary. They actually fought on the side of Britain/France et al.

Either before or after the Adrian, there were attempts to create a helmet for the infantry/cavalry by taking a cavalry helmet, removing the crest, painting it horizontal blue, and adding on an Adrian style crest.

There is a much viewed film, no doubt seen by yourself, of Soviet infantrymen marching in what is presumably, a May Day parade, past Lenin's tomb. All wearing French helmets.

I just got a World War 1 German M16 Stahelem today for Christmas And perhaps I should make a video on it.

There was a battle bowler before your version. Similar but the brim wasn't folded over. It didn't have the sand finish.

My neighbor brought out a "Kaiser" helmet one day, that he said had belonged to his grandfather. It appeared to be made of laminated leather that was stiffened with something like shellac. The spike on the top was a copper alloy of some sort, either brass or bronze. The musty odor that emanated from it, was a clue to us living in the high country air of the southern Rockies, that it had been stored in the hot and humid Midwest where his grandfather lived. His grandfather acquired it as a souvenir after he was stationed in Europe during World War I.

At middle school I had the chance to hold a WW1 German helmet. It was painted white.

I find your videos interesting. But I would like to see an onscreen text of the name of the hats or Helmets. The CC are to fast and sometimes wrong.

Hello! i really like your channel.Infact,I find it unique to see channel teaching history of hats.I was wondering if you can make an history about the famous headwear in southeast asia(Espicially Malaysia & Indonesia)Tengkolok/Tanjak i really appriciate it Thank you.

Fascinating, how they go medieval in the first modern war

On attend toujours le bonnet de nuit,,,,,!

Edmund: "You see, Baldrick, in order to prevent war in Europe, two superblocs developed: us, the French and the Russians on one side, and the Germans and Austro-Hungary on the other. The idea was to have two vast opposing armies, each acting as the other's deterrent. That way there could never be a war." Baldrick: "But this is a sort of a war, isn't it, sir?" Edmund: "Yes, that's right. You see, there was a tiny flaw in the plan." George: "What was that, sir?" Edmund: "It was bollocks." Blackadder Goes Forth, "Goodbyeee"

The german leatherhelmet , worn by lineinfantry and dragons, was officially called ,Helm mit Spitze'/ helmet with Point. The Metal Versions Had been worn by cuirassiers , heavy Saxon cavallry and some small palace units. Protection was a bit better, but like Metal helmets of nongerman cavallry Units, also Not really good. After a short time the leather became rare, so substitute helmets had been Made from felt or stamper mild steel Sheets. But These stamped Sheet helmets gave also few protection. The firebrigade helmets had been Steel ones Up to early 1970s, then replaced by Aluminium ones. About ten years these helmets had to be replaced, many firebrigades switched to helmets, in which the men Look Like Jet pilots, but others use helmets of old style, but with modern ,plastics' Material. This helmets are sometimes also used by Personal of ambulance Cars/ ambulance Helikopters, when there is a need to wear a helmet. Also by , Bereitschaftspolizei ' ( Riot Police?) of westgerman states, the classic steel ones had been ( rarely) used until early 1990s.

When was the rim trim fitted to the British helmet ?

I wonder. Which helmet this actor en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrien_Brody will choose? Adrian or Brodie? 😜

Very interesting, but you should use a center focused camera …

Your pseudo-Windsor knot tie requires that the know be a equilateral triangle, not a right triangle. You may explore Windsor Knot in Wikipedia for instructions to tie such a knot.

I first heard of the Brodie helmet as a "Salatschüssel"--salad bowl--as that's how the Germans called it, and now that's how I always think of it and have a hard time remembering it's actual name. XD

I always thought the French helmet was the best looking helmet of the time.

From 1918-1945 the German stahhelm helmet was standard issue for the Lithuanian army

Where did you get your helmets?

The Germans also wore their helmets backward in the trenches. It was more comfortable and maintained the protection.

Do you know the difference between a helm and a helm et

You should make a video about shakos

Does the map show Italy allied with Germany and Austria?

In 1945 the Wehrmacht was going to introduce a much wider new helmet giving more air burst protection across the mech and shoulders. This never happened but the new East German regime took it on and it became the standard East German helmet.

You should make a video about the history of the stetson and western America.

Stahlhelm is most effective and best looking here

The placebo effect peaked here