the helmet of the semester 02: helmet non-commissioned officer
of Baden field-artillery
The
ball on the top characterizes the artillery helmets of the Army of the German
Empire, except for.... Bavaria that didn't left the spike bafore..... 1915.
Helmets with flat chinscales were carried by the Rgts of foot artilleury (Fussartillerie),
those with convex chinscales by the Rgts of fieldartillery (Feldartillerie),
except for..... Bavaria that in April 1914 to generalized the convex chinscales
also for helmets and schakos of foot troops. Between 1867 and 1918, Badish helmets
practically followed the Prussian dress fashion and regulation, except for the
plate and the state cockade. The headplate of the Great-Duchy of Baden was a
crowned griffin standing on scroll with the motto "mit Gott für Fuerst und Vaterland".
Let's note that the headband of reservist headplates didn't include text, the
slogan being written on the small cross placed on the griffin. Other ranks Badish
cockade was yellow with a red painted ring (if the rosette was made of brass
the red ring only was painted). Officers' and the senior non-commissioned officers'
cockades were t waved and gilt. They were painted in red, with a ring left gilt
on the edge. Non-commissioned officers had to wear the helmet of troop with
as only distinction a streaky ring on the empire (or Prussian) cockade. Warrabt
NCO bought themselves distinctly more luxurious fantasy helmets which were worn
out of duty. The here presented helmet is one of those. The helmet body in high
quality leather has a fine thin peakmount, the spike neck has a pearl decoration
of the troop pattern (as in Prussia suppressed in 1887, but tacitly allowed
on the fantasy helmets). The spike neck includes only two ventilation holes
and the rear spine has not the ventilation sutter introduced in 1895. Fittings
are gilt, the plate being matt gilt. The lining of this helmet is of officer's
quality made of leather and silk. The Great-Duchy of Baden had in 1914, 5 regiments
of Feldartillery and one Rgt of Fussartillerie. For parades, the first Badish
Rgt.nr.14 of Feldartillerie only carried a black (red for musicians) Haarbusch
plume instead of the top ball.
One can find strange Badish helmets with top ball but with their fitting all
in white or silvery metal, cruciform spikebase as on dragoons'helmets but with
round front peak. Motto of the headband not regular. Griffin sometimes without
the crown. These are firemen helmets made....... until 1940.