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Reuss Infantry
Other Ranks Pickelhaube M1860
There
were
two tiny Duchies of Reuss; Reuss-Greiz,
the senior line
and Reuss-Gera the larger junior line.
In 1866 they fielded two and four
infantry companies respectively. Like many other German
states, they
adopted the Prussian style Pickelhaube
in 1845, to replace their former
shako.
The Reuss Pickelhaube was similar to the
Prussian design with yellow
metal fittings, a smooth
spike, cruciform base and squared peak. The front plate was a yellow
metal eight pointed star bearing
the crowned Reuss coat of arms
in white metal. The
yellow/red/black Reuss cockade was worn under the
right side chin scale boss. A
white horsehair plume was worn
on parade, changed to black in
1861.
This example is from the
Bavarian Army Museum in
Ingolstadt. It weighs 820g and
is 264mm high.
During the Austro-Prussian War,
Reuss-Greiz supported Austria
while Reuss-Gera leaned
towards Prussia, thus
effectively cancelling each
other out. Neither saw
action, with both
contingents forming part of the
Mainz garrison for the duration
of the war. |
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Reuss
Infantry
Pickelhaube c1866
Close up of the
front plate bearing the crowned
Reuss coat of arms
Bavarian Army Museum,
Ingolstadt |
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