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80th Division Helmet markings WWI


rolfi
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Promted by the pinned "Painted Helmets" thread and with regard to the question of 80th Division's helmet markings; as far as I can make out the four Infantry Regiments used the shapes sketched below in different colours. Red for 1st Battalion, white for the second, and blue for the third. The MG company used either red and blue together or, maybe, black. Some seem to have added the company letter.

If anyone can confirm my interpretation and provide any information as to which unit used which shape; I'd appreciate it. In the sketch conjectural insignia has been faded a little.

post-1923-1228497073.jpg

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(Amended post)

Prompted by the pinned "Painted Helmets" thread and with regard to the question of 80th Division's helmet markings; as far as I can make out the four Infantry Regiments used the shapes sketched below in different colours. Red for 1st Battalion, white for the second, and blue for the third. The MG company used red and blue in combination . Some seem to have added the company letter.

If anyone can confirm my interpretation and provide any information as to which unit used which shape; I'd appreciate it. In the sketch conjectural insignia has been faded a little.

 

post-1923-1228565561.jpg

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I can't say for sure whether it's correct, but it's logical. I like it.

 

I've seen the shield insignia in white and red as well, so I'm not sure how that fits in.

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I just ran across some pictures I saved from an eBay 80th Division group. It's attributed to Corporal Martin E. Hill, Co. C 320th Infantry.

post-270-1228775597.jpg

post-270-1228775609.jpg

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I've also seen 80th helmets with a spade on one side. Here's another picture saved from an eBay auction, identifying that insignia to the 305th Engineers.

post-270-1228775834.jpg

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  • 2 months later...
80thdivcollector

I have identified most of the Artillery Units. I also have a 305th Field Signal Bn Helmet.The row with the squares or diamonds is 100% correct. I own all four helmets with these markings and they are posted also. The markings of the 320th I`ve never seen , but I`m glad to get some help with identification. I have some helmets from the 80th with some insignia but no Regiment. These helmets wont fit in your sketch below.

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Intriguing helmets indeed. I wonder how they fit in to the divisional scheme of markings. I know the engineers used, appropriately, the ace of spades, ordnance a grenade on a shield and signals used their branch insignia. I reckon the infantry and machine gunners used the following...

post-1923-1234435600.jpg

and the only insignia I know of for the artillery is...

post-1923-1234435753.jpg

Unfortunately I don't know which artillery regiment used them. If anyone can add to my information I'd appreciate it greatly.

 

Cheers

 

RW

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80thdivcollector

post-3451-1234512929.jpgpost-3451-1234512953.jpg

Intriguing helmets indeed. I wonder how they fit in to the divisional scheme of markings. I know the engineers used, appropriately, the ace of spades, ordnance a grenade on a shield and signals used their branch insignia. I reckon the infantry and machine gunners used the following...

post-1923-1234435600.jpg

and the only insignia I know of for the artillery is...

post-1923-1234435753.jpg

Unfortunately I don't know which artillery regiment used them. If anyone can add to my information I'd appreciate it greatly.

 

Cheers

 

RW

All Artillery Units wear the "Gun Sight" on their Helmets.It referenced the 313th and 314th with two blocks at approximately 45 degrees and 270 degrees.The 315th was 155 mm and their gunsight emblem was a variation of this emblem.It contained the infantry colors in the four quadrants (blue).In the center, there was a star, and the battery letter was in the center of the star.

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80thdivcollector

post-3451-1234513351.jpgpost-3451-1234513366.jpg

post-3451-1234512929.jpgpost-3451-1234512953.jpg

All Artillery Units wear the "Gun Sight" on their Helmets.It referenced the 313th and 314th with two blocks at approximately 45 degrees and 270 degrees.The 315th was 155 mm and their gunsight emblem was a variation of this emblem.It contained the infantry colors in the four quadrants (blue).In the center, there was a star, and the battery letter was in the center of the star.

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80thdivcollector

post-3451-1234513731.jpg

I have also some nice gas mask bags in my collection. One bag is that of Pvt Konrad J. Harrer, 319th Inf Regiment E Coy. And he have A DIAMOND on his bag.

 

post-3451-1234513835.jpg

I have also a nice gasmask bag with a spade but no unit designation. Could that be 305th Engineers. (RIGHT BAG)

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  • 2 weeks later...
80thdivcollector

According to this data, there was no triangular-shaped insignia. The 317th Infantry used a diamond; the 318th used a square; the 319th used a circle; and the 320th used a half-circle (sometimes resembling a shield, as you show in your diagram). Specific colors were utilized by HQ Co, Supply Co, and Machine Gun Companies and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions, as you note. The M.G. Battalions used a shield, with the specific colors of each Infantry Battalion of their attachment. The Engineers used a spade, with the red or white colors of its two battalions and their HQ Co. had a divided spade: top red, bottom white.

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80thdivcollector

Source:

Second full paragraph on page 130 of History of the Eightieth Division, A.E.F., authored by Russell Stultz, and edited, enhanced and published by Dr. Anthony in 2004:

 

Previously announced, the distinctive symbols of the various units of the Division were

declared official on April 30th. For the four Infantry regiments, in their order beginning with the

317t h Infantry, they were a diamond, square, circle, and half-circle; the symbol of each unit's

Headquarters Company was colored red. white and blue, that of the Supply Company red and white.

and that of the Machine Gun Company red and blue; the battalion symbols were colored red, white,

and blue, in numerical order. The three Machine Gun Battalions were identified with a shield - blue

and white, red and white, and red and blue, in order, beginning with the 313M. Other units of the

command were assigned equally distinctive symbols, thereby enabling property and individuals to be

immediately identified by the markings required on the packing cases, wagons, helmets, and other

property articles.

 

Mr. Stultz was the official historian for the 80th Division in WW I, and spent years compiling data for his manuscript.The publication of the book in 2004 by Doc Anthony was not well received by the memorabilia community who claim to have "provenance" for certain markings, and insist that the Stultz data is wrong. However, Stultz was in the 80th Division, studied its history for many years following the War, and included official documents in his writing.

Stultz did not specifically identify lesser units (MST, Field Signal Bn, etc.) and I have seen a few other markings that obviously were utilized by these units.

 

Roland

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I have posted this helmet in the WW1 painted helmets thread but here it is again for your discussion. It is part of a grouping a bought from a collector. There is no paper work with this grouping and I have not researched it yet. First the right side.

post-736-1235747993.jpg

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