WWI era photo of kids playing army? are they British or American kids?

[green papaya]

here's a group of kids with helmets & wooden guns ready to play war somewhere? where do you think they are America or maybe England?

 

[Stanley Doble]

My guess would be America right after the war, 1919 - early twenties. The tin hats plus pikelhauber say they raided their father's closets for souvenirs. The knickers and boots say teens or twenties.

 

[Widebrim]

But what of the "decals" on the steel pots? They don't look like something you'd see on an American helmet, although they could have been added later. Plus, even though I agree that the pickelhaube could be a souvenir, they were phased out in the early part of the war except for ceremonial wear, quite a while before the U.S. entered. Toss in the odd service and overseas caps, and you may have some British kids. I wonder if any of them ended up serving during WWII...

 

[Widebrim]

^^I regret that my comments got you so riled up, Mr. Cairo. I simply said that the stickers (although they could be painted insignia) would not have been seen on U.S. helmets (although on British, I couldn't say), but added that they could have been added on later. As to the existence of pickelhaubes during the the war, I simply implied that by 1918 they were not a common sight, unlike in 1914-15. It would therefore seem more likely for a serviceman of the British Empire to bring one home than a doughboy of the US Army, although it wouldn't have been impossible for the latter to have acquired one. Add to that the non-American-looking service and overseas caps, and that is why I wrote that they "may" be some British kids. But why the "before the US FINALLY entered the war" jab? I'm sure that you know that isolationism was big in the U.S. at that time, and that many Americans felt that the war was a European affair. Yet despite our "limited" involvement, we still managed to rack up over 117,000 dead and over 200,000 wounded Americans. So let's please not risk un-cordiality between Lounge members simply over a photograph. -Lee

 

[green papaya]

I found out the kids are American and the helmet the kid in the photo is wearing is from the US 102nd Infantry

here is a WWI era M1917 helmet with the 102nd Infantry painted insignia

 

[vitanola]

Actually, the caps appear to be German or Austrian. Note that the Fifth Liberty Loan drive offered premiums of various obsolete war materiel, including immense numbers of Picklehaube, which were taken by the US forces from supply depots in Cologne and Colblentz. Some of these items are more common over here than hey are on the Continent. Some of the new American Leigion posts also purchased quantities if these items for a nominal price, and used them in fund-raising schemes. This sort of thing was pretty common over here in the early 'Twenties. Besides which, the tin hats don't appear to have the seams and him strap attatchnmets of the British units. they appear to be American.

 

[Widebrim]

Wow, mystery solved. Good work Green Papaya and Vitanola. I wasn't sure if those had been stickers or painted insignia on the helmets, but 102d Infantry it is.

 

[MisterCairo]

Gone for good.

 

[esteban68]

far too well atired for British kids of the period anyway, they all have shoes for a start!

 

[Widebrim]

^^You're right about that, Esteban!