World War One Austro-Hungarian Empire equipment.

Austrian M17 helmet with a protective brow plate

Berndorf Metal works unique shaped helmet with protective brow plate, considered a rare collectible. Mostly referred to as the a Berndorfer helmet although Berndorfer also made a helmet the same pattern as the Austrian Model 17 helmet that was shaped like the German M16 helmet.

Austrian Storm troops with French Adrian helmets captured from the Italians. Also note they are wearing grenade bags.

Austro-Hungarian field cap variations were endless in contruction and materials uses. Note color variations and materials used from wool to cloth and even corduroy. It was quite common for troops to personalize field caps with tinnies or small trinkets captured from the enemy. Note on the bottom right, a rare "IK" hungarian cap badge.

Tinnies or cap badges used to decorate hats. There were many different ones and today are highly sought by collectors.

Ersatz (subsitute) equipment was used due to leather shortages. From left to right a cloth holster made for a Frommer, next a cloth holster for a Steyr M1912, an ammo pouch made from tin and on the right an ammo pouch made from cardboard.

Various types of grenades used during the war, hand, rifle and stick. The M95 rifle had grenade sites attached and the rifle grenade was launches by firing a blank cartridge.

 
Model 1917 fighting trench knife. It was common for soldiers to modify and decorate thier knives with materials available in the trenches such as old worn out aluminum canteens and brass shell casings.


Photo shows Austrian soldiers wearing gas mask bags attached to the belt. Note the metal trench shields used for protection.

Close view of an Austro-Hungarian gas mask as it would have been issued with a belt carrier and spare filter. Eye lenses were fixed and could not be changed.

Various  Austrian and Italian snow goggles used for eye protection in the mountainous regions.

Emperor Karl awards a decoration. Soldier on the left has an oak leaves decoration in his field cap and linen backpack. Oak leaves were commonly used as a Spring and Summer decoration while a piece from a pine tree was commonly used during the Winter months.

 Some of the more common decorations awarded were the bronze bravery , silver bravery, Karl troops cross for all troops that served in battle and a karl wound decoration. The number of stripes on the wound ribbon designated how many times the soldier was wounded.

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 World war one official boot patterns. A general purpose boot, a  mountian boot, a light boot made from sail cloth and a full size leather boot. Troops were issued two pairs of boots a regular issue and the light pattern. Many boots were privately purchased so there were endless boot variations used during the war.

 Austrian soldiers with M95 rifles, cloth backpacks with mess tin attached to the top, bread bags, shovel and carrier, gas masks on the belts and bayonets.

 
Photo's of the standard Austrian bread bag worn around the shoulder on the left side. Austrian pointed shovel and carrier, brass dog tag, brass belt buckle, model 1909 aluminum and model 1907 enamel canteen with cup attached. In the post card soldiers wear pony fur backpacks and the early war hechgrau blue color. Later in the war the Austrians switched over to a field gray uniform color. The leather belt is an ersatz variation made with rivets instead of stitched together.

 Later in the war dog tags were made of steel to conserve brass. In the center is a sighting device attached to the M95 rifles to aim rifle grenades. On the right is a caltrop designed always to land with a pointed side up. They were thrown on the ground to disrupt troop movements.

 M95 rifle three piece cleaning rod. One piece was issued to each soldier in a cleaning kit. A pipe with a picture of Emperor Karl and a hand grenade that was ignited by hitting the fuse against a rock. This model grenade had an extra long fuse so sometimes they were tossed back!

 Austrian luminious night sights for the M95 long rifle. There was also another variation for the M95 short rifle. They had whitish greenish glow at night and were easily attached to the front and rear sights.

 Austrian model 1915 gas masks were made from cloth and the inside coated with a rubber material. The lenses were not changeable. On the right is the gas mask as issued with a cloth carrier that was attached to the belt. It also included a spare filter.

 Private purchase brass knuckles (steel). The bottom 6 pointed knuckles were official arsenal issued. Various belts made of steel, brass, leather, hempen and cotten material. Belts were being made of linen because of a leather shortage. Officer's private purchase bayonet knott made by Tiller. NCO's compass and whistles.

 Captured Italian Adrian helmets painted Austrian brown and Austrian eagle painted on the front. They were converted for use by the Austrians since helmets were in such short supply.

 Variation of the Austrian model 17 helmet. The chinstrap buckle and the liner are an ersatz variation. Mostly the M17 helmets had three pillows stuffed with gause or horse hair for padding. The padding on this helmet is similar to padding used on helmets manufactured by Berndorf. 

 Austrian model 17 helmet painted in a Fall season camo pattern. In 1918 near the end of the war troops were advised to paint thier helmets in a camo patterns for better protection.