What is this object?

[Gil Boyd]

Nay!!!.............only joking horse related, yes there was, it was the Germans who were more advanced in body armour for machine gun crews and had a system issued to them called 'Sappenpanzer' a steel body armour and 'Stirnpanzer' brow plate for their helmets adding yet more weight to carry. It was a veritable suit of armour produced for the
MG/08, which included shields shaped to fit the water jacket.