The War To End all Wars: A History of the Helmets of World War One
A new kind of conflict, World War One introduced new technologies, strategies, and a level of brutality never before seen in warfare. The main powers, who had gone to war thinking it would be brief wearing their traditional headgear, quickly found it was unsuited to this new kind of fighting, with head wounds necessitating a solution: a new type of combat helmet. Thus, they each developed their own model, which then spread to their allies: the Adrian, the Brodie, and the Stahlhelm.
Version française (mise en ligne le 15 avril): • La Der' des Ders': l'H...
The helmets I wear in this video are, respectively:
a replica of an Adrian from Doursoux.com
an original Brodie kindly leant to me by my friend Alex Bergman
an original Stahlhelm found by my grandfather at an antiques store.
Title sequence designed by Alexandre Mahler
am.design@live.com
This video was done for entertainment and educational purposes. No copyright infringement of any sort was intended.
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.
If you hadn’t said that I would have had to.
I've also heard that troops started taking risks because they thought they safe. No idea if the stats and reports actually bear this out.
@@heneagedundas yes, i recall reading this. for some reason they assumed it would be bullet proof.
@@thurin84because some officers told them they were
Dead people don't tend to complain that their head hurts.
The stahlhelm was so good even Darth Vador used a version of it .
Vaders helmet is also inspired by the helmets worn by the Samurai.
who in turn inspired sadam hussein
The Kevlar US helmet when introduced was, funnily enough, quickly nicknamed "the Fritz", for obvious reasons.
I entered service in the 1990s and those same kevlar helmets were still issue. It was in the mid-2000s when similar looking but lighter kevlar helmets started being issue. The old kevlar helmet was a paint in the butt when wearing flak vests / body armor and you had to be in the prone position. In that position the part of the helmet that protruded downwards would get caught on the vest / armor and possibly force the helmet to roll down and forward over the eyes. The helmet suspension wasn't as good and could cause headaches when wearing it for long periods. When the lightweight versions started appearing in the mid-2000s, it fixed all those problems. It was not an issue anymore when wearing vests and armor and in the prone position. The suspension and chinstrap system were significantly better with padding. Way more comfortable. With the lighter weight it was simply a better helmet to have on for even long periods.
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.
Adrian helmets were procured to many American units (i.e. USMC and ambulance drivers) during final the training stage in France. It was common for American officers to wear them until Brodie helmets were available in large numbers. Eventually also the 369th had their French helmets switched in favor of its British/American manufactured counterparts.
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 don't know if I agree. The 1916 Stelhelm covered the eyes, ears and neck. It was also vented for near artillery strikes.
@@gregwilliams386 It could be true that the German helmet offered better protection, but the British helmet made troops feel safer.
I find it interesting that each of these helmets appears to be inspired by each cultures' Middle Ages.
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!
I have ALWAYS wondered about this nickname! Thank you for finally solving the riddle for me!
I always thought it was Jerry for German.
The Adrian is, by far, the most elegant of them
It is the worst design however, the early ones had badges secured with pins which could pierce the head if hit
@@mr_incognito9305to reiterate: the most elegant.
@Koelebig I agree on that point but ultimately a soldier doesn't care how his helmet looks as long as its practical and offeres good protection. The Adrian is the worst in this regard
@@mr_incognito9305 oh, I definitely agree.
@@mr_incognito9305Ok, you listed one problem that only applied to early versions. How else was it the worst among in providing protection?
Good to hear you mention the Brodie was initially trench stores. It's this level of detail that confirms the quality of these videos.
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.
Hello, that dosen’t surprise me about Him ! … 😂
not surprising it was churchill afterall, he was definitely a character for sure, i mean he sure liked posing with a cigar and a tommy gun in a pinstripe suit and top hat.
@@poil8351 Totaly agree, i love this Character !
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’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.
Stahlhelm helmet? You mean a steelhelmet Helm? Stahl- steel, Helm- helmet. When people of german language countries speak of a Stahlhelm, this is an umbrella term for EVERY military steel helmet. When german Stahlhelm is realy meant, we pronounce the der in der Stahlhelm stronger.
I doubt anyone can look at the Adrian without thinking of Kirk Douglas in 'Paths To Glory'. Fabulous film.
I used to have a photo of myself in a German firefighter uniform, and yes, it was a red Stahlhelm. Tornado took it.😢
RAF strikes again.
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,
I'm still a little in awe of how naturally armies looked backwards to medieval helmets for modern inspiration.
A lot of the research was already done through hard lessons. There are only so many practical ways to protect the head. Different dangers and new materials can encourage changes, but the principals.are the same.
Protecting the head remains the same concept. Back then it was from swords, pikes, and sabers. Then it was from shrapnel and bullets. While bullets shooting straight into a helmet can puncture it, there have been numerous instances of rounds hitting the current US "Fritz" Kevlar helmet that were deflected saving the wearer's life.
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.
When the US entered WW1, they copied the Brodie but tried to cut corners by using mild steel. The helmets shattered when hit. Hadfield himself provided them with his Mangalloy formula to save American lives.
You really know your subject matter wells. Hats off to the quality of your presentation. Well done.
7:15 Italy too had their version of the Adrian, with it being green instead of blue
And the first Flash used a Bodie helmet. Like Mercury
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.
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.
Je serais très curieux de voir votre collection ! Cette évocation était très complète et détaillée !
Je vais essayer de faire une petite vidéo qui la présente bientôt
I love the Adrian helmet
Very interesting. The Adrian helmet was also used by Italy, who also made their own version in two pieces, the M16.
Bravo, un documentaire excellemment préparé
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.
The Adrian was definitely the best looking helmet in my opinion.
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.
Like WHO exactly? Everyone knows it is negative
Yes, people do know it's a negative, but some younger (30s) do have a habit of saying infamous to insinuate something a little naughty for no reason. Ie "the infamous Diana Dorrs and her many lovers." When what they actually mean is Diana Dorrs was a Famous actress who made no secret of her sexual encounters. Who would dream of using a word like infamous for most of the female "actors" of today no matter how many men they had slept with. I heard in a documentary about old Hollywood in which it described the infamous antics of mainly female but also male actors. When in fact they were probably no worse than many adults today that have had sexual encounters with more than one person. I use this as an easy example but there are many other ways people wrongly use Infamous.
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 !
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.
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.
Great Video
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.
Just FYI, it's Brodie.
The British helmet was introduced in 1915 and adopted by the Americans as the M1917 a bit later. The M1917 remained in service until 1942. The more Germanic designs are being withdrawn now because it has been shown they increase the frequency and severity of brain damage from blast concussion by funnelling the blast against the head. Tighter fitting replacements are now in vogue to prevent this.
Tu fais délirer avec la manière dont tu présentes ! Comme d'hab, excellent traitement du sujet. La barbe et la coupe de cheveux? Nickel.
Thanks. ✌🏻👊🏼
Toujours aussi passionnant et instructif. Et quel accent !
As soon as the Jerry helmet appeared on your head I could see it was by far superior to the other helmets.
Excellent channel. I'm thinking it should have higher numbers. Everyone should see this content.
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
Fascinating.Thanks for another great video.
Tjrs passionnant! Merci
I love this new format and think it will take off!
The US M1917 helmet employed somewhat improved metallurgy compared to the Brodie.
Really interesting stuff - very well presented.
Really enjoyed this vid. Thanks for the education.
ce CHARISME ! 20/20 ♥ ♥ ♥
Another excellent presentation, thanks. 👌👌❤️❤️
great vid top stuff
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.
I suspect that "do not strap your helmet or a nearby explosion will break your neck" is rather folklore. After all, if an explosion is close and strong enough to do that, you'll be dead anyway from splinters and shockwave.
@@zelts I don't quite agree, artillery, yeah, you're right, but German handgrenades were more blast than shrapnel, and mortar shells do funny things like split at the seam upon exploding, leaving one stunned, but whole.
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 .
At middle school I had the chance to hold a WW1 German helmet. It was painted white.
Great stuff. Many thanks for such interesting videos. Best wishes from England
Vivement la partie française!!
I just found this channel and the name alone has made me subscribe
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!
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.
Very good presentation,very infomative.thankyou
I’d be interesting to see the linings of the different helmets. Great videos!, great work!
I was going to say the same thing. A look at the liners and how they differed would have been a nice touch since I think that most people aren't that familiar with helmet liners and how they look and work m
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 perfect youtube channel!
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😆
Now this is quality KZhead content.
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 KZhead video on that process.
I love your hats
I am new to your videos. But very well done! Hats are for cover first, decoration second!
Excellent ! Je m’abonne et je partage .
I like the beard! I also like the video, great subject and I wouldn't mind seeing more helmet videos in the future.
more will come!
@@hathistorianjc More videos, or more beard? I'm down for either one of course
Hahaha, more helmet ones. The beard comes once a year (I grow it to keep my face warm when I go skiing :p )
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.
you look good with some facial hair. Love these videos too. I am an artist researching hats, these are great :)
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.
They did end up switching sides once the war actually started, though originally they were allied with the central powers.
There was a battle bowler before your version. Similar but the brim wasn't folded over. It didn't have the sand finish.
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 just got a World War 1 German M16 Stahelem today for Christmas And perhaps I should make a video on it.
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!
And I thought they were for ventilation. See the Wikipedia article.
@@iskandartaibThe lugs, as mentioned in the video, were for both attaching an armored plate as well as hiding vent holes. The lugs weren't solid but hollow and other videos out there do a better job at showing this detail. The stahlhems of WWII kept the vent holes but got rid of the lugs covering them with just an open holed rivet.
On attend toujours le bonnet de nuit,,,,,!
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.
Fascinating, how they go medieval in the first modern war
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.
Oui pourquoi pas
I always thought the French helmet was the best looking helmet of the time.
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.
It must be: About ten years ago ...
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.
I wonder. Which helmet this actor en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrien_Brody will choose? Adrian or Brodie? 😜
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.
The Germans also wore their helmets backward in the trenches. It was more comfortable and maintained the protection.
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.
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"
Perfect.
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.
It's not a windsor it's a four in hand knot which I prefer
From 1918-1945 the German stahhelm helmet was standard issue for the Lithuanian army
Very interesting, but you should use a center focused camera …
Stahlhelm is most effective and best looking here
When was the rim trim fitted to the British helmet ?
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
You should've mentioned that the Finns started using it during ww2 and kept it well in to the 70s at least
You should make a video about shakos
It is planned
Each helmet exemplifies the national character of each nation, the Adrian looks the best but is not as functional as the others, in keeping with French uniforms of this period. The British is the most practical, offering a balance of ease of production, cost and effectiveness, but looks very plain. The German stall helm is the best design, offering the most protection but most costly to produce with funky looks that certainly could never be accused of looking plain.
You should make a video about the history of the stetson and western America.
I did make one on the cowboy hat
@@hathistorianjc oh ok. Thanks for the reply. Keep up the good work.
The placebo effect peaked here
What do you mean?
@@heinzelmann6502Unless the bullet just grazed the side the helmet it was better at keeping soup in then bullets out. They gave a feeling of safety instead of actualy providing it
@@bearlogg7974 Yes, the soldiers who didn't know it was meant for shrapnel sadly learned it the hard way.
I like helmets