WW1 FRENCH COLONIAL MARINES HELMET WITH COMMEMORATIVE PLATE TO PEAK
Background
I would like to thank Eric Colombani who is a valued customer of mine located in France who corrected me on my original description of this helmet, many thanks Eric, Quote "Just for your information your French Adrian helmet 1915 (ref. H299) is not a Navy helmet but a "Colonial troops" or "Troupes coloniales" (mainly consisting in "Infanterie coloniale" and "Artillerie coloniale" and also native troops such as "Tirailleurs sénégalais" or "tirailleurs tonkinois") helmet and a model for officer that is confirmed by the style of the anchor and mainly by the inscription on the commemorative plate "Capitaine Gérard - soldat de la Grande Guerre - 1914-1918" (captain Gérard -soldier of the Great War - 1914-1918). French colonial troops were dressed in khaki (or "moutarde" - mustard) uniforms during WWI rather than horizon blue that explains this color over the original horizon blue (bleu horizon) of your helmet. These units wore anchor because they were "Troupes de Marine" before 1900 and used as landing force and defense of the harbours. In 1960 with the end of the French colonial empire they found their original name of "Troupes de Marine", despite this name they belong to Army and not to the Navy and still use the anchor as their main symbol".
Item Description
French Veterans from WW1were authorised to retain their helmets from WW1 and display a brass plate on the front peak commemorating their service in WW1. This example is a French Colonial Marines helmet and has the Marines Anchor badge to the front and has been over-painted for colonial use showing signs of the original Horizon Blue paint. The liner is present but needs re-attaching as shown in the images. Chinstrap is present.
Nice display helmet