§ VISCOUNT BRYCE had the following Question on the Paper—
§ To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can inform the House if it is proposed to supply to His Majesty's forces in the field light steel helmets similar to those which are now being generally used in the French Army and which are said to have been of much value to them especially in trench fighting.
§ The noble Viscount said: My Lords, I desire to put a Question to His Majesty's Government upon a matter connected with the war which is of much smaller compass than that which we have been debating for the last three hours but nevertheless one which possesses a certain importance. When I happened recently to be in France the troops there, those going to the Front and those returning, appeared to be all wearing a light helmet composed of steel of a very simple make which I was informed is of great value and greatly reduces the casualties, especially in warfare in the trenches. It is really very much like that barbarous headgear which Don Quixote wore for a proper knight's helmet. It is convex in form, with a brim which projects a little both before and behind. Its peculiar merit or value is this, that the convexity of the smooth steel causes small projectiles, fragments of shells, to glance off, unless they happen to strike it at precisely a right angle. Of course if they strike it at precisely a right angle they penetrate, but when they strike it at any other angle in most cases they glance off harmlessly. The helmet is extremely light; it is very little heavier than an ordinary cloth cap, and is said not to be trying even in summer. And it is extremely cheap, the price being, I was told, fr. 2.40 (practically two shillings), and it is easy of production because it can be manufactured by machinery with great rapidity. The results of its use having been so 364 favourable in very greatly reducing casualties, the French Army is now, I understand, completely furnished with it, and all those to whom I spoke on the subject said they regarded it as a change of the greatest value. I do not quite know what has been done in the British Army. I gather that the helmet has been supplied to a considerable extent already, but that it has been very far from being supplied to all our troops. I desire to ask the Government what opinion they have formed of its value, how far they have supplied it to our troops already, and whether they intend to go on supplying it until the whole of His Majesty's forces in the field are equipped with it. Whatever information can be accorded on this subject will, I am sure, be of considerable interest to us.
LORD SANDHURSTMy Lords, I am happy to be able to assure the noble Viscount that a large number of these steel helmets have already been provided for our troops. The supply began in the early autumn of last year, and very large quantities have since been sent out and are now in use in the trenches. The scale of supply is that which was recommended by the Field-Marshal then Commanding-in-Chief. The design adopted is not the same as that used by the French, nor, so far as is known, as that used by the Germans. Expert surgeons and others were consulted in regard to the pattern, shape, and material of the helmet. I do not know whether my noble friend saw in The Times of yesterday a Reuter message regarding these helmets.
§ VISCOUNT BRYCENo, I have not read it.
LORD SANDHURSTIt is not official but it is interesting, and perhaps your Lordships will allow me to read it—
§
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS, France, March 6.
The new British steel casque has had its first great test in the assault upon the Ypres Bluff on March 2, and the results are more than satisfactory.
I was this morning shown a batch of casques from wounded men, which have been collected from the field. In all cases the men who were wearing these were either unscathed or suffering from slight concussion or mere scalp wounds. It is believed that had they not been wearing these helmets, they would either have been all killed or dangerously wounded. One of the casques bears an indentation from a heavy blow with the butt-end of a German rifle. The man thus struck bayoneted his assailant and was none the worse for the assault.
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Another casque bears distinct evidence of a direct hit with the business end of a shell. Several of them are rent by fragments of shrapnel casing, manifestly with a force which against a cloth cap would have been quite sufficient to cause fracture of the bone. Others are pitted by shrapnel bullets. Most of the men who wore these state that except for a rattling like a hailstorm sweeping over a galvanised roof, and a sudden compression around the rim of the helmet, they were unaware that they were being struck.
§ VISCOUNT BRYCEDo I understand from my noble friend that it is proposed to continue supplying these helmets until the whole of the Army possesses them? I hope I am right in gathering that from what he has said.
LORD SANDHURSTI cannot, of course, say what the intentions are; but I have given my noble friend the answer to his Question as it appears on the Paper.