In Vince's opinion, the German Trench Body Armour is the most interesting artefact in the museum!
One of our most popular exhibits here at the York Sunbury Museum is our New Brunswick at Vimy gallery, which recreates a First World War trench, and has many exciting artefacts on display. What stands out to many people is our Spandau 8mm machine gun, but my favorite piece is our German body armour, which was introduced to the front lines starting in 1916, and was produced right up until the end of the war. Made of nickel-silicon steel, the armour is extremely heavy, and was designed for use by snipers and forward observers, whose purpose did not require a great deal of mobility. The now famous German stahlhelm, which is the helmet most commonly associated with Nazi Germany, was originally designed as part of this armour, and was meant to have a heavy guard which could be mounted on the front to protect the user’s face. This was the purpose of the distinctive lugs on the top of the helmet. The armour shows the stark reality of the First World War, where fronts were so static that men were simply not required to move.
York Sunbury Historical Society 