A captured M18 Helmet come back to its home

[Bavarian]

Hello
After I posted my new M1917 helmet here on the forum 3 weeks ago I bought the second helmet from the same seller:
It is a M18 helmet in size 64 made by B.F. with a dome damage
To the damage:short after WW1 this helmets lay all around and I know that the soldiers used pickaxes to pick up the helmets faster
To the helmet: the colour is in good condition( no refurbishment, no overpaint)
The rests of the leather and the ring were also in good condition
Until the small hole the helmet is for its age in really good condition
The history: The seller said me he that he mistaken something about the doughboy helmet
The real story is that the M1917 was the helmet of his grandfather as he fought in WW1 and he have taken the M18 helmet to the USA after the war(you question how it came back to germany or?) To the time of WW2 he was going back to the Army and was sent to fight in Europe
After WW2 he left the US and lived in germany nearly his outpost
This story makes more sense than the other but It is only a story
The seller told me too that the 2 helmets were all time since WW1 family-owned
I think I made a good deal for the Doughboy 120€ and for the M18 130€
Yet they were together on my WW1 shelf

Is it a good example or not ?
I need your opinions to this wonderful piece of history

Best regards
Bavarian

[CBH]

The pickaxe damage was done to deactivate them in a way, turning them into scrape.
Rifles and pistoles were crushed or cut, helmets where pierced with a pick, etc, etc, the demilitarization of Germany.
Nice helmet.

[Anderson]

Yes, there are photos available showing this damage being done post war.

[MAP]

The pickaxe damage was done to deactivate them in a way, turning them into scrape.
Rifles and pistoles were crushed or cut, helmets where pierced with a pick, etc, etc, the demilitarization of Germany.
Nice helmet.

Ask any you will receive. You are 100% correct of course...

I would say the effort to bend over and pick up a helmet is a lot less than swinging a pickaxe......

[Bavarian]

Hello
Thank a lot for the comments and for this picture
Best regards
Bavarian

[Bavarian]

Hello
The once question I have forget to say is:
Is this Helmet used In WW1 or came it never to the frontline anymore?
I hope someone habe an idea
Regards
Bavarian

[AndyM35]

Hello Bavarian,

What I see is a nice original Imperial German WW1 helmet shell size 64 with ,as stated, potential pick axe damage. In some images the Feldgrau paint looks quite dark (could just be the lighting) however in the last one it is what would be expected. While it is impossible to know 100% what the history behind each helmet is - I do feel this one most probably saw service in the Great War and I would happily have it in my collection.

Andy

[Bavarian]

You are right
It is a good example and who knows?
It was captured by the US and that would be the luck of this helmet that it not was refurbishes by the Third Reich period like many other M16-18
I have bought the complete set from the seller that contains the US M1917 helmet from Capturer and the captured M18

Best regards
Bavarian

[Politefaun]

Ask any you will receive. You are 100% correct of course...

I would say the effort to bend over and pick up a helmet is a lot less than swinging a pickaxe......

This picture never fails to make me cringe. Even if the story isn't true the pick axe strike already makes the helmet interesting due to its connection with the versailles treaty/demilitarization effort.