First World War helmet eye screen. First World War soldier wearing a helmet with a chain mail screen designed to protect his eyes from shrapnel and rock fragments during shelling. The First World War (1914-1918) saw a large number of head wounds due to shrapnel from the immense number of artillery shells used by each side to try and break the deadlock of trench warfare on the Western Front. The modern steel helmet was developed in response to this, though most did not have screens like the one seen here. This helmet and screen was manufactured by the E. J. Codd Company of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The USA entered the war on 6 April 1917, playing a crucial role in helping Britain and France to defeat Germany and its allies. Photographed in 1918.