Introduction
With the 100th
anniversary of the Armistice fast approaching, the Great War has been looked at
with increased interest by both the general public, in the form of films and video
games, and by the collecting community, in the search for artifacts of
historical significance. The modern combat helmet was born out of the need to
protect soldiers from the terrible new weapons that emerged during the Great
War and have since gone on to be representative of the conflict. The helmet,
similar to a service uniform, is a unique item insofar as its ability to “take
us back” and allow us to reflect upon the lives of the men who were caught up
in a war the likes of which had never been seen before or since.
The aim of this website is not to give a history of
Great War Helmets –there are many excellent works available on that subject
already. Nor is it to describe each helmet in depth –there are other sources
for that as well. Rather, it is to focus solely on the aspect of collecting these
helmets, with the new collector in mind specifically. This includes the
foundations of building a good collection, what to look for, things to avoid and
specific details of certain helmets that might be areas of concern for the new
collector.
I am not a professional; merely a collector like
yourself. I created this website as a place to archive all of the
information I have collected as a resource for others who would have an interest
in this hobby but are unsure of how to begin. Therefore, what follows is
solely my opinion, based on my observation and experience, some of which may or
may not be entirely accurate, especially as new information becomes available.
However, I have tried my best to prepare new collectors for this fascinating
hobby and their important role as caretakers of history.