![]() If the leather/felt/pith provided some protection in melee and against ricochets and pistols then why not go with the cheaper, lighter solution?Īs new materials are coming on line that show some protection against low caliber firearms armor is gradually finding its way back onto the battlefield. The helmet never really left, it simply shifted from a metal to a leather/felt/pith. The kind of armor that could stop musket or rifle fire were simply too expensive. A helmet is one of the few pieces that made sense, mostly because it wasn't intended to protect you from bullets (the trench did that) but the stuff that the trench missed.Īs firearms became better and more common armor gradually vanished from the battlefield. ![]() People tried to invest in heavier armor, but the armor that would stop bullet was simply too expensive and unwieldy to produce widely. Germany developed their steel headpiece in early 1916. It wasn't until late 1915 that France developed the standard pattern of helmet that would be adopted by many nations. But, when trench warfare started up the major threat shifted from being shot to head wounds resulting from molten shards of artillery shells. ![]() It simply didn't make sense to wear an expensive and heavy piece of metal that wouldn't do anything to protect you from the machine gun. Or those helmets they did have were leather. This post goes into a bit more detail on it if you'd like to know more.ĭuring the early days of the First World War many armies were outfitted with hats as well. They still used helmets with enclosed necks, so they were often tilted back a bit so soldiers could fire more easily when laying down. This is why you will see a lot of British soldiers in the second World War wearing their helmets to the side or tilted back. The neck area was now more exposed than before, allowing a soldier to fire easier while prone. World War 2 helmets were designed less around protection from above and more from protection around the sides. World War 2 didn't really have trenches in mind when they were being designed so they didn't need the protection from above so much anymore the design was simply obsolete. It has the same distinct lip as the British helmets, which were both designed around protecting from raining debris and rifle fire from over the top of the trenches. Here's the Brodie helmet many US troops used. It is, and the US actually used the same style of helmet in the first World War. Previous AMAs | Previous Roundtables Featuresįeature posts are posted weekly. May 25th | Panel AMA with /r/AskBibleScholars Please Subscribe to our Google Calendar for Upcoming AMAs and Events To nominate someone else as a Quality Contributor, message the mods. Our flaired users have detailed knowledge of their historical specialty and a proven record of excellent contributions to /r/AskHistorians. Please Read and Understand the Rules Before Contributing. Report Comments That Break Reddiquette or the Subreddit Rules. Serious On-Topic Comments Only: No Jokes, Anecdotes, Clutter, or other Digressions. Provide Primary and Secondary Sources If Asked. Write Original, In-Depth and Comprehensive Answers, Using Good Historical Practices. Questions should be clear and specific in what they ask, and should be able to get detailed answers from historians whose expertise is likely to be in particular times and places. Nothing Less Than 20 Years Old, and Don't Soapbox. Be Nice: No Racism, Bigotry, or Offensive Behavior. Downvote and Report comments that are unhelpful or grossly off-topic.Upvote informative, well sourced answers.New to /r/AskHistorians? Please read our subreddit rules and FAQ before posting! Apply for Flair This Week's Theme is Clothing & Costumes.
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