Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a tremendous & great-condition example of a WWI M1917 Doughboy helmet painted for the 35th Division, American Expeditionary Forces. This helmet has a very unique camouflage scheme, with the 35th Division insignia on both sides of the helmet, with the front bearing a Machine Gun over the soldier’s unit, the 129th Machine Gun Battalion. The back of the helmet has the battles the soldier took part in. The shell is marked with a stamping on the underside of the rim that reads ZJ270, indicating that it’s an American-made shell.

The helmet features a panel-style camouflage pattern of orange, green, and blue. Painted on both sides of the helmet is the 35th Division insignia over 35th DIV.. On the front is an M1917 Browning machine gun with 129 / M.G. BATT around it. On the back are listed the battles that the soldier took part in, YPRES-LYS / ST. MIHIEL / OFFENSIVE, SOMME. This isn’t necessarily correct for the unit so the soldier was likely transferred. 

The division's shoulder patch, a Santa Fe cross in a circle, was conceived as a marking for division vehicles and baggage in 1918, and was first promulgated by 35th Division General Orders Number 25, issued on 27 March 1918. It was officially approved for the 35th Division on 29 October 1918 by the adjutant general of the American Expeditionary Force. The marking was later stenciled onto signs identifying the whereabouts of division units, soldiers' helmets, and finally was made into a shoulder sleeve insignia when that usage was authorized.

Twenty-four distinct combinations of quadrant and border colors were devised for all of the 35th Division's units. Each major unit of the 35th Division (the division headquarters and headquarters troop and the 128th Machine Gun Battalion, the 110th Field Signal Battalion, 110th Ammunition, 110th Sanitary, and 110th Supply Trains, the 110th Engineer Regiment and Train, the 69th Infantry Brigade, the 70th Infantry Brigade, and the 60th Field Artillery Brigade) was respectively identified by one of six border colors: blue, green, white, yellow, black, or red. The component units each had their own combination of quadrant colors, consisting of one or two of the aforementioned. Patches varied widely in exact design and material.

The helmet retains its liner and chinstrap but the liner has become disconnected from the helmet itself and falls out. There is some material loss as well but the chinstrap is well-retained. This is truly a wonderful example that comes ready to display!

History of the 35th "Sante Fe" Infantry Division during the Great War:
Activated: 5 August 1917 (National Guard Division from Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska)
Overseas: 7 May 1918
Major Operations: Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Casualties: Total 7,296, (KIA 1,018, WIA 6,278)
Commanders: Maj. Gen. William M. Wright (25 August 1917), Brg. Gen. L. G. Berry (18 September 1917), Maj. Gen. William M. Wright (10 December 1917), Brg. Gen. Nathaniel F. McClure (15 June 1918), Maj. Gen. Peter E. Traub (2 November 1918), Brg. Gen. Thomas B. Dugan (25 November 1918), Maj. Gen. Peter E. Traub (7 December 1918), Brg. Gen. Thomas B. Dugan (27 December 1918)
Returned to U.S. and inactivated: April 1919.

History of the M1917 Helmet
The M1917 was the US Army's first modern combat helmet, used from 1917 and during the 1920s, before being replaced by the M1917A1. The M1917A1 helmet was an updated version of the M1917 and initially used refurbished WW1 shells.

The M1917 is a near identical version of the British Mk.I steel helmet, and it is important to note that when the US joined the Great War in 1917 they were initially issued with a supply of around 400,000 British made Mk.Is, before production began state side. The M1917 differed slightly in its lining detail, and exhibited US manufacture markings.

M1917 helmet liners typically show a paper label at the crown and the dome rivet head. The liner is set up as on the British versions, with an oilcloth band and net configuration, attached to a leather strap, riveted to the shell. The chinstrap is leather with steel buckle.