Original U.S. WWI Rare 28th “Keystone” Division Pennsylvania National Guard British-Made Mk 1 Doughboy Helmet with Combat-Cut Chinstrap & Weak Liner

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of the scarce WWI British MkI Brodie helmet, which was also the same type that was issued to American forces in the beginning of the US involvement during The Great War. This example was utilized by a member of the 28th Division, AEF, which was made up of units of the Pennsylvania National Guard. This example is special in that the chinstrap has a “combat cut” in which the strap was slit horizontally so that the hole would cover the soldier’s chin and provide a tighter fit. 

The shell is maker-marked with a stamping on the underside of the rim that reads FKS 3, for manufacture by Thomas Firth & Sons Ltd of Sheffield. This firm also produced shells marked “F” and most likely used “FS” according to research. This along with the split pins on the chinstrap bales indicate this as a British made helmet.

The side of the shell is painted with a red “Keystone”, the insignia of the 28th Division. The vast majority of 28th Division helmets we have encountered have been American-made, making this British-made example a true scarcity! The liner is retained but shows extremely heavy wear, with the oilcloth of the liner tearing with very minimal pressure. The chinstrap is retained and is in much better condition than the liner, although there is weakness around where the combat cut is. The now-hard rubber doughnut is also retained! This example shows true period combat wear, something we very rarely see!

We use the term 28th Division because during World War I, the divisions of the American Expeditionary Forces included infantry, field artillery, engineers, sanitary troops, signal troops, and a myriad of other unit types. These units were not designated as Infantry Divisions until long after World War I.

A great example of an authentic WWI "Doughboy" helmet from the 28th Division that saw true combat use, ready to display!

The 28th Division in World War I

The division moved to Camp Hancock, Georgia, in April 1917, and was there when the entire division was federalized on 5 August 1917. From May to 11 October 1917, the division was reorganized into the two-brigade, four regiment scheme, and thus became the 28th Division.

By May 1918 the division had arrived in Europe, and began training with the British. On 14 July, ahead of an expected German offensive, the division was moving forward, with most of it committed to the second line of defence south of the Marne River and east of Château-Thierry. As the division took up defensive positions, the Germans commenced their attack, which became the Battle of Chateau-Thierry, with a fierce artillery bombardment. When the German assault collided with the main force of the 28th, the fighting became bitter hand-to-hand combat. The 28th repelled the German forces and decisively defeated their enemy. However, four isolated companies of the 109th and 110th Infantry stationed on the first defensive line suffered heavy losses. After the battle, General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force, visited the battlefield and declared that the 28th soldiers were "Men of Iron" and named the 28th ID as his "Iron Division." The 28th developed a red keystone-shaped shoulder patch, officially adopted on 27 October 1918.

During World War I, the division was involved in the Meuse-Argonne, Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne including the Battle of Fismes and Fismette, Oise-Aisne, and Ypres-Lys (FA) operations. During the war, it took a total of 14,139 casualties (2,165 killed and 11,974 wounded). 2 individuals received the Medal of Honor: Sergeant James I. Mestrovitch, Company C, 111th Infantry; and Major Joseph H. Thompson, Headquarters, 110th Infantry. More detail about the history of the division during World War I can be found in Edward Martin's The Twenty-Eighth Division: Pennsylvania's Guard in the World War.