British Mk-I Helmet with 2nd Pattern Cruise Veil
Chain mail has been used for centuries as a form of pierce resistant armor. With the advancement of weaponry during World War I, particularly fragmenting artillery, many of the warring countries experimented with ways to protect the soldier's eyes and face from shrapnel. This helmet is just one of the several designs produced during the First World War. It is a standard Mark I combat helmet produced by Hadfields Limited (stamped HS). The chain mail face shield, or veil, is the second pattern developed by Captain R.R. Cruise of the Royal Army Medical Corps. It features a simple, yet innovative system of a metal frame with rotating lever and two springs. The lever allows the wearer to rotate the veil up or down while the springs keep the veil taut in both positions. This is an improvement from the first pattern that just draped the veil over the wearer's face and had to be attached by hooks. The British military adopted the Cruise veil and tested it for use in the field, though soldier's found it annoying and often became dizzy over prolonged periods of looking through it.1
| United Kingdom | World War I |
| Infantry Helmet | 1916 |
| Hadfields Limited | |
| BRH-160-XXXX | |
