Source: File:
officers wearing new Brodie helmets. jpeg, [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ilwarnews_brodie.jpg> Accessed: 1 November 2015].
Illustrated War
News Nov 1915. Original image from "Illustrated War News" - Nov 17
1915 The Text reads : Head-wounds
have been more than usually numerous during the war, owing to the
trench-fighting, and more than usually severe, owing to the extensive use of
shrapnel. But the danger, although it cannot be avoided, can be minimised. Our
Army has now followed the French by adopting steel helmets, calculated to stop
shell-splinters and shrapnel. Even in cases of extreme risk, not only has death
been avoided, but injuries have been confined to bruises or superficial wounds.
Cases have occurred in which the wearers have been hit, but saved by these
helmets from what without them would have meant certain death. The fur coats,
as they did last year, mean mitigation of the rigours of winter. The French
helmets are known as "Adrians," after their inventor.
Following trend of French
innovation,
Came a new British army fashion -
With certain numbers of soldiers,
Being supplied light steel helmets.
In showing some were more important
Than others - the bomber less
ordinary;
Yet ranked under the men of
infantry,
In importance of military
standpoints.
The new Tommy steel
helmet given
To a chosen few -
for their protection
Against hits of shrapnel
and splinter
Fragments; helmets
would save lives.
Initially just for the
bombers who take
Special training
courses - their value
Being high, in
techniques of modern
War, were chosen to
test innovation.
The soldierly
fashion was described
As comfortable to
wear - being lined
By leather, along
with a chin strap,
But were still to gain
wider approval.
In ignorance of
high velocity firearms
War, all sides
had gone for a nearly
A year without - in
shadows of historical
Conflicts,
ignorant of health and safety.
Difficult lessons were slowly learned
At cost of soldiers lives - by
wounds
From gun fire, in unknown scales,
vicious injuries inflicted on men's heads.
vicious injuries inflicted on men's heads.
The German military wore the spiked
'Pickelhaube' constructed from
leather -
Decoratively topped by a brass spike
-
Meanwhile the French had the Adrian.
The French helmet matched their
uniforms,
In style of a fireman - two shells
riveted
Together, strengthened by a
protector,
Dorsal ridge - set off by a moulded
badge.
All armies realised need of good
head
Protection – British ideas had
formed
In the mind of John Brodie. an engineer
–
Not original, made an effective innovation.
Not original, made an effective innovation.
The origins had been a medieval
Kettle
Helmet design - the strength lay in
being
Created from a single sheet of metal
-
In its basic form, a bowl with a wide
brim.
The Brodie helmet had the advantage
In being made from a single piece
Of stamped steel production - type A
Superseded by type B’s refined
design.
In an improved manganese steel form
Impact strength was vastly improved
-
So John Brodie built first battle
helmet,
Forming an image of the iconic
Tommy.
Barely off the drawing board, the helmet
Had not been universally approved amid
British senior officers - mainly because
They had not taken part in developments.
Criticism was theirs to say un-soldierly
And somehow 'soft' - type A saw actions
In battle of Loos - if successful the Brodie
Would be set for increased production.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Helmets
for the Troops - Protection for Bombers. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 1 November.
P.10. Col.4. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11963590/Daily-Telegraph-November-1-1915.html
[Accessed: 1 November 2015].
Source: File: WW1:
Combat helmet technology - the Brodie steel helmet
16 June 2014 By
Dan Shadrake. [online Available at:
<http://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2014/06/putting-a-lid-on-it.cfm> Accessed 1 November 2015
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 1 November 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone
#worldwaroneremembered #WW1Helmets
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