Ear Cut-Out Helmets

The unique characteristics of the M1918 "Ear Cut-Out" are evident from the upward dip along the sides of the helmet shell.  The M1918 Ear Cut-Out is often referred to as the "cavalry", "artillery", or "telephone talker’s" helmet because of its general appearance and popularity with men serving in these roles. The helmet was developed and tested in August of 1918 when requests were made by front line troops for a helmet that allowed for better hearing in the trenches.  An estimated 2,100 M1918 Ear Cut-Out were produced in medium sized 64cm shells by the established firm of Eisenhüttenwerke located in Thale.  A planned total of 100,000 helmets were to be manufactured before the end of World War I.  The helmet proved successful and had it not been for the armistice signed in November 1918 this helmet might have been the next version slated for issue to all front line troops. So popular was the M1918 Ear Cut-Out, that in the mid to late 1920’s at least one German firm was contracted to reproduce the helmet in the larger 66cm shell size.  This was intended to supplement the small number of World War I era shells in service and to aid in expanding the head sizes available from a maximum of 57cm to a much larger 59cm.  Like many transitional helmets, some were stored and later repainted with rough texture paint and then reissued to Wehrmacht troops in 1940. Overall the M1918 Ear Cut-Out is considered rare due to the limited number produced.

View More Helmet Photos

Information Tracks are organized by subject matter and their content is directly related to the service arm or organization to which each topic is related.  Topic areas that bridge one subject matter to another are cross linked within each Information Track.

This Information Track provides historical facts pertaining to M1918 Ear Cut-Out Helmets from 1934-1940.  Individual links related to this subject are outlined below.