Tank crewmans protective chain-mail face mask : British Tank Corps

Accession Number REL/03910
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Personal Equipment
Physical description Chamois, Cotton, Leather, Steel
Maker Unknown
Place made United Kingdom: England
Date made c 1917-18
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Source credit to This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government.
Description

British Tank Corps leather and chain-mail face mask. It is constructed from thin steel plate that has been moulded to a face shape, and has five horizontal vision slits cut for both eyes. The steel plate is shod with brown leather on the outer surface and the inner surface is buff coloured chamois which is thinly padded. All the leather is sewn. A chain-mail skirt is attached by rings sewn to to the outer brown leather, and hangs from the mask below the cheeks and nose. An additional ring fitted to each side buckle carries the chain mail around to the sides of the wearer's face. These buckles are also used to secure cotton tapes ties which are used to fasten it behind the wearer's head. Only the ends of these tapes remain.

History / Summary

This type of mask was issued to British tank crews for protection against steel splinters that could be detached from the inner surface of the tank when shells struck the outside. It incorporates slitted steel plates to protect the wearer's eyes, and a suspended chain mail skirt to protect the area below the wearer's nose.