A British soldier wearing the new 'Brodie' helmet, 1916

Pen and ink drawing on paper by Paul Sarrut (1882-1969), 1916.

Paul Sarrut served in the French Army during World War One (1914-1918) and was posted to the British Army as a Military Liaison Officer and interpreter for the French, Indian and British troops on the Western Front.

High numbers of head wounds from shrapnel early in the war led all countries to introduce steel helmets for their troops. The British Army adopted this form of helmet, initially known as the 'Brodie' helmet, as its standard head protection in September 1915 but it was not until spring 1916 that it began to be issued to troops in large numbers.

After the War, Sarrut had a selection of his drawings engraved and issued as a portfolio, 'British and Indian Troops in Northern France, 70 War Sketches, 1914-1915', published by H Delépine of Arras, France, in about 1919.