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Uniforms and Equipment of the Old Army - Artillery - Field Artillery - Prussia - The Helmet

Group photo of the mounted detachment (Fritzlar) of the 1st Kurhessian Field Artillery Regiment No. 11 (Kassel/Fritzlar) in parade uniform. Black plumes are worn on the helmet. Original photo card from 1913.
Group photo of the mounted detachment (Fritzlar) of the 1st Kurhessian Field Artillery Regiment No. 11 (Kassel/Fritzlar) in parade uniform. Black plumes are worn on the helmet. Original photo card from 1913.

When the tunic was introduced, the artillery also received the Pickelhaube, although initially the infantry model.

Officer of the Guard Artillery. Early photograph from the 1850s. The high helmet shape is clearly visible. Photographer: Schwerdy & Suck/ Berlin.
Officer of the Guard Artillery. Early photograph from the 1850s. The high helmet shape is clearly visible. Photographer: Schwerdy & Suck/ Berlin.

It was not until 1844 that the ball was introduced, which at first had an elongated shape. Only at the end of the 1840s did it become round.

Prussian field artilleryman with the typical helmet, here still with scale chains. Original photo card around 1914.
Prussian field artilleryman with the typical helmet, here still with scale chains. Original photo card around 1914.

The field artillery wore the black-lacquered leather helmet with a rounded front visor and yellow fittings and top ball.

One-year volunteer as non-commissioned officer in the 2nd East Prussian Field Artillery Regiment No. 52 (Königsberg in Prussia). Original KAB. Photographer: Atelier Heydecker/ Königsberg i. Pr.. 1904-04.
One-year volunteer as non-commissioned officer in the 2nd East Prussian Field Artillery Regiment No. 52 (Königsberg in Prussia). Original KAB. Photographer: Atelier Heydecker/ Königsberg i. Pr.. 1904-04.

The helmet fittings were made of brass; in the Guard they were of tombak.

As a rule, the Prussian formations wore the yellow Prussian heraldic eagle with the letters FR.

The eagle received the Vaterland bandeau in 1860.

There were, however, a number of peculiarities: some regiments wore the eagle with a breastshield and the letters FWR or helmet bands.

From 1895 the ridge running around the spike neck was introduced.

Early photograph of a gunner in dress uniform. Original CDV: Photographer: A. Jablonski/ Bad Wildungen. Around 1860. On the studio column there is still an older helmet form with an angular front visor. The cross-leaf fitting and the pearl ring around the spike neck are also clearly visible. The front visor became angular in 1867. At that time the cross-leaf was also replaced by the plate.
Early photograph of a gunner in dress uniform. Original CDV: Photographer: A. Jablonski/ Bad Wildungen. Around 1860. On the studio column there is still an older helmet form with an angular front visor. The cross-leaf fitting and the pearl ring around the spike neck are also clearly visible. The front visor became angular in 1867. At that time the cross-leaf was also replaced by the plate.
Gunner from the Field Artillery Regiment von Scharnhorst (1st Hanoverian) No. 10. The peacetime helmet can be seen on the table.
Gunner from the Field Artillery Regiment von Scharnhorst (1st Hanoverian) No. 10. The peacetime helmet can be seen on the table.

The helmet of the Guard Field Artillery bore the ornamentation of the Guard Infantry.

One-year volunteer as Guard field artilleryman. The typical helmet ornamentation of the Guard formations is clearly visible.
One-year volunteer as Guard field artilleryman. The typical helmet ornamentation of the Guard formations is clearly visible.
Guard field artilleryman in parade uniform. A white plume is worn on the helmet. Original KAB: Photographer: Atelier Freitag/ Finsterwalde. The private coat is of quite light color, similar to the officers' tunics.
Guard field artilleryman in parade uniform. A white plume is worn on the helmet. Original KAB: Photographer: Atelier Freitag/ Finsterwalde. The private coat is of quite light color, similar to the officers' tunics.
One-year volunteer as a Prussian field artilleryman in parade uniform. Original KAB: Photographer: Emil Tiedemann/ Bremen. A black plume is worn on the helmet.
One-year volunteer as a Prussian field artilleryman in parade uniform. Original KAB: Photographer: Emil Tiedemann/ Bremen. A black plume is worn on the helmet.

The Guard had — since 1843 — white plumes and some regiments black plumes. The trumpeters always had red plumes.

The helmet caps were those of the infantry. Since 03.07.1900 the respective regimental number was to be affixed at the front in red — except for the Guard.

Gunner from the East Frisian Field Artillery Regiment No. 62, namely from the I. Battalion (Oldenburg). The 2nd and 3rd batteries wore the national cockade of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg (blue-red) on the cap and on the helmet. On the breast of the helmet eagle there was — since 1870 — also the star with the Oldenburg coat of arms in nickel silver attached. The shoulder straps on the tunic and greatcoat showed the crowned (red) initial 'A'.
Gunner from the East Frisian Field Artillery Regiment No. 62, namely from the I. Battalion (Oldenburg). The 2nd and 3rd batteries wore the national cockade of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg (blue-red) on the cap and on the helmet. On the breast of the helmet eagle there was — since 1870 — also the star with the Oldenburg coat of arms in nickel silver attached. The shoulder straps on the tunic and greatcoat showed the crowned (red) initial 'A'.
Gunner from the 5th Baden Field Artillery Regiment No. 76 (Freiburg). Original CDV: Photographer: A. Steinhäuser/ Freiburg. On the helmet — besides the imperial cockade — the national cockade of the Grand Duchy of Baden and the Baden griffin made of brass were worn.
Gunner from the 5th Baden Field Artillery Regiment No. 76 (Freiburg). Original CDV: Photographer: A. Steinhäuser/ Freiburg. On the helmet — besides the imperial cockade — the national cockade of the Grand Duchy of Baden and the Baden griffin made of brass were worn.
Early photograph of a Hessian gunner. Original CDV. Photographer: Wilhelm Pöllot/ Darmstadt. Photo from the mid-1880s. The typical Hessian helmet ornamentation is clearly visible, namely the coat-of-arms lion in brass in a semi-open wreath of oak leaves and laurel.
Early photograph of a Hessian gunner. Original CDV. Photographer: Wilhelm Pöllot/ Darmstadt. Photo from the mid-1880s. The typical Hessian helmet ornamentation is clearly visible, namely the coat-of-arms lion in brass in a semi-open wreath of oak leaves and laurel.
One-year volunteer as lance corporal from the Grand Ducal Mecklenburg Field Artillery Regiment No. 60 (Schwerin). On the helmet a sun of tombak with the Mecklenburg state coat of arms in nickel silver was worn. This was surrounded by a laurel wreath. Original KAB. Photographer: Fritz Heuschkel/ Schwerin.
One-year volunteer as lance corporal from the Grand Ducal Mecklenburg Field Artillery Regiment No. 60 (Schwerin). On the helmet a sun of tombak with the Mecklenburg state coat of arms in nickel silver was worn. This was surrounded by a laurel wreath. Original KAB. Photographer: Fritz Heuschkel/ Schwerin.
Early photograph of a Württemberg gunner. Original CDV around 1880. Photographer: G. Koch/ Ludwigsburg. Probably from the 4th Württemberg Field Artillery Regiment No. 65 (Ludwigsburg). Here still in the old double-breasted tunic. On the helmet the Württemberg coat of arms in brass is borne with the motto: FURCHTLOS UND TREW.
Early photograph of a Württemberg gunner. Original CDV around 1880. Photographer: G. Koch/ Ludwigsburg. Probably from the 4th Württemberg Field Artillery Regiment No. 65 (Ludwigsburg). Here still in the old double-breasted tunic. On the helmet the Württemberg coat of arms in brass is borne with the motto: FURCHTLOS UND TREW.

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Scenes from the daily service of the Old Army - Training - Instructional Infantry Battalion

According to Mila (History of the Clothing and Equipment of the Royal Prussian Army 1808 - 1878, Berlin 1878, reprint Krefeld 1970, p. 104) the Instructional Infantry Battalion "was established by A.K.O. of 30 December 1819, with the intention of promoting uniformity and conformity in service and in the infantry's drill exercises, for which purpose every year on 1 April officers, non-commissioned officers and men of all infantry regiments are detached to Potsdam for a certain period; a permanent company remains together continuously."