Description:

371ST INFANTRY REGIMENT SURGEON'S INSCRIBED ADRIAN HELMET
A simply outstanding World War I relic, a French M15 Adrian helmet belonging to a regimental surgeon of the U.S. Army's 371st Infantry Regiment, a segregated African-American unit which served under the command of the French 157th ‘Red Hand' Infantry Division through some of the most important engagements on the Western Front, including the Champagne-Marne and Meuse-Argonne Campaigns. The helmet is liberally covered with black paint inscriptions, most prominently identifying the owner as ‘Regimental Surgeon 371st R.I.V.S.' along the right-hand side of the crest. An additional inscription on the helmet's visor reads ‘Medicin Ch[ef] Du Regiment Americain 157th ‘Red Hand Division', while the remaining inscriptions chart the regiment's sector assignments and movements. In small part: ‘Landed Brest – France – April 1918'; ‘Verdun Sector – May 1918'; ‘At Esnes [?] Je Mort Homme'; ‘Champaign [sic] Offensive September 23 October 6'; ‘Bruyeres Octobe [sic[ 16 to Armistice November 11'; and more. A particularly important inscription located at the front of the helmet reads: ‘Croix – De – Guerre – French Divisional Citation General Petain Comm of the French Army A[re]a of the East', commemorating the regiment's joint receipt of that award. Unfortunately, despite the wealth of information inscribed on this helmet, the owner did not include their name. The helmet shows several dents and much flaking to its brown external finish and the inscriptions applied thereto, making legibility difficult in some cases. It is further missing the badge once applied to the front, removed to allow more room for the inscriptions executed in that spot, and the original black-finished brown leather liner is missing one finger, and shows notable tears and flaking. The helmet nevertheless remains an extremely attractive example, commemorating a storied Black unit which counted among its members a recipient of the Medal of Honor, a recipient of the French Legion d'Honneur, 22 Distinguished Service Cross awardees, and 123 individual recipients of the Croix de Guerres, and which would likely have been relegated to second-line, non-combatant duties had it not fallen under French command.

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March 27, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000