The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-11-27
FRENCH SOL DlERS
ARE CONFIRMED
SOUVENIR FIENOS
Shells, Helmets and Many
Other Articles Collected
By Men In Trenches

Behind British Lines in France,
Nov. 7.-eCorrespondence of The AS
ISOLATED Pres.)-In every battalion at
the front there are a number of con-
hrmed souvenir hunters, and some
times their influence is so poten that
an epidemic craze for collecting
spreads through all ranks, and the
main topic of conversation is souve
Mrs in al their varieties.
In every walk of trench life one
meets the man with strong ecquisi-
tive habits; in civilian life he might
develop his. bent into either finance,
art, stamp collecting or possibly bur-
glary. In the trenches the fully de-
veloped passion for collecting souv
enirs is often a trial for the collector,
for a collection of any kind sooner or
later demands a. place to put it in,
and there is no place in knapsack and
dugout life for a store of gathered
treasures
The available war souvenirs are sell
dom of much value, but there is a
considerable variety of things to
choose from in most battle areas. In
the early days of the war, the Ger
man helmets were valued souvenirs,
for the old-style German helmet was
substantial and picturesque, brilliant
with heavy metal garniture. There
were also unusual variations. like the
| quaint Bavarian shakos, while one or
| two cavalry regiments provided a
rare variety of heacGear which has
not been seen on the Western front
since the first year Of war.
| The German helmet Of today has
| deprecated even more than the Ger
man mark. 1t is no longer even
| leather, but kind of light paper
felt. The metal spike has given place
to one of wood composition. The
solid brass regimental badge is now
/ a thin tinsel plaque. The true collec-
tor cares very little for the modern
helmet and has no interest at all in
the little round convict cap which SO
many German prisoners wear, If. the
German only knew it, a sure pass
port to warm and instant favor on
surrender is decent helmet. Tt at
tracts immediate attention and the
fortunate owner is given cigarettes
and other marks Of favor by his de-
lighted captor. instead of being mere
| 1y herded to the rear without cere-
mony.
| The supply of helmets is seldom
adequate to the demand; indeed the
market is only glutted on occasion OF
a big push or a large scale raid
Among lesser trophies, the ambitious
collector finds great scope for his &C
tivities in the shells sent over by the
hostile artillery. Fuses and nose caps
in wonderful variation are to be oh,
tanned with a little pains, and the
collection of these is encouraged by
the General Staff, because the setting
Of the fuse may give the correct range
of a. suspected battery, and there Is
other information Of useful character
to be gained from the study of these
trophies.
The Bsrench soldiers have specialized
in aluminium rings and jewelry made
from the nose caps of hostile shells
and quite an ambitious industry ha
been developed in this way Thu
British prefer to work in brass
usually the brass of empty cartridge
and shell cases. With infinite pa
tience and few tools they tproduc
what the F'renchman calls '.peculia
objects of the mantelpiece.' L4ittl
model coal scuttles with legs made o
bullets, a tiny coal shovel worked u
from a German rife cartridge; vase
of curious surface nothing made b
tndentirg the brass of field gu
case; amD1t1OuS designs ol diiIeu liaS
and well known heroes, made froI
\ ration cases of brass-there are onl
a few of the things which the collec
:, tor Is offered by his own comrade:
There is no end to the ingenuity an
variety of the work of the sold1e
, craftsman, but his most fam1na
!, work is in ingots, candlesticks an
: decorative paperweights made fro1
hand grenades or the interior
shrapne1 shells.