WW1 US '35th Infantry Division' M17 Camouflage Helmet

A fabulous WW1 US army camouflaged M17 helmet with insignia of the 35th Infantry Division to front.
A concept inspired by the German idea of camouflage & the American popularity of souveniring their helmets many of the US M17 issues were camouflaged after the end of the first world war with the colours on many being very visually striking to say the least. This fabulous piece is in a class of its own having four different roughly granulated colours all divided with random patterned black seperation lines. At the front of the helmet can be seen the distinctive 'crosshairs' insignia of the 35th. The cross hair was a symbol used to mark the Santa Fe Trail, an area where the unit trained, and was designated as an identifying device for the unit by Headquarters, 35th Division General Orders 25, dated March 27, 1918. The organization is referred to as the Santa Fe Division.
Interior of the helmet displays its original khaki factory paint with steel lot number & maker initials ' ZC' ( Believed to be Edward. G. Budd Manufacturing Co. ) . Liner system & chinstrap intact .

The 35th Division arrived at Le Havre, France, on 11 May 1918. The 35th served first, a brigade at a time, in the Vosges mountains between 30 June and 13 August. The whole division served in the Gerardmer sector, Alsace, 14 August to 1 September; Meuse-Argonne, 21 to 30 September; Sommedieu sector, 15 October, to 6 November. Men of the division spent ninety-two days in quiet sectors and five in active; advanced twelve and one half kilometres against resistance, captured 781 prisoners, and lost 1,067 killed and 6,216 wounded.The 35th Division had as an officer Captain Harry Truman, 33rd President of the United States, who commanded Battery D of the 129th Field Artillery Regiment.

Code: 13718