shield
Report a Mistake- Object Number 19390001-014
- Event 1914-1919 First World War
- Affiliation --
- Artist / Maker / Manufacturer --
- Date Made --
- Place of Use Continent - Europe, Country - Germany
- Category Tools and equipment for science and technology
- Sub-category Armament, body armour
- Department Dress and Insignia
- Museum CWM
- Materials Steel, Mammal leather
- Service Component German Army
- Measurements Height 9.0 cm, Outside Diameter 44.7 cm
- Caption Armour
- Additional Information Despite the highly industrialized nature of the First World War, soldiers employed medieval defences in order to survive. Steel breastplates protected sentries and machine-gunners against shrapnel. Soldiers on trench raids, where hand-to-hand combat was expected, sometimes used shields. Neither breastplates nor shields were capable of stopping a high-velocity bullet at close range.