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| Rear Spine | ||||
| From 1842 to 1867 Mannschaften issue Pickelhauben utilized a rear spine that was secured to the helmet by external bolts. There was a brief interlude when the spine was not worn from 1867 to 1871. A plain, rear spine was worn by all ranks from 1871 until 1895. In 1895 the rear spine on all issued Foot-Troops helmets were manufactured with a ventilation hole near the base of the spike. The vent was fitted with a small sliding cover which enabled the user to increase or decrease the flow of ventilation in the helmet according to the weather conditions. Privately purchased rear spines as well as those worn by artillery do not incorporate this feature. | ||||
| Click on the thumbnail picture for a larger picture and a full explanation. | ||||
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