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Mecklenburg-Schwerin Other
Ranks Dragoon Helmet
M1848
Several German states such as
Hanover, Hessen-Cassel, Hamburg
and Mecklenburg-Schwerin adopted
Prussian style, polished metal,
lobster tailed, spiked helmets
in the 1840s, each with their
own variations.
Mecklenburg-Schwerin adopted such a helmet for their
Dragoon Regiment in 1848. Knötel
notes the date at 1847, which is
possibly when they were first
planned though long before they
were manufactured or issued.
The
helmets were polished white
steel with yellow metal
fittings. They varied from the Prussian design by
having the Mecklenburg four way fluted spike with a
ball tip, the Mecklenburg blue-yellow-red cockade
under the right side chinstrap boss and
the crowned Mecklenburg-Schwerin heraldic star on the front.
White horsehair plumes (red for
musicians) were worn on parade.
This example is on display at the
Military History Museum in
Rastatt. It weighs 1050g without
its inner lining and is 315mm
tall.
Two orders for the
helmets were made. On 31 August
1848, 452 helmets were ordered
and on 31 December 1848 a further 285 were
commissioned. But
in 1865 the helmets were replaced with a
more practical shako.
Military
History Museum, Rastatt |
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Side view of the
helmet and cockade
Military History Museum, Rastatt |
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