Editing Bulletproof vest (section)

===First World War===
[[File:THE GERMAN ARMY ON THE WESTERN FRONT, 1914-1918 Q88002.jpg|thumb|upright|World War I German Infanterie-Panzer, 1917]]
The combatants of [[World War I]] started the war without any attempt at providing the soldiers with body armor. Various private companies advertised body protection suits such as the Birmingham Chemico Body Shield, although these products were generally far too expensive for an average soldier.

The first official attempts at commissioning body armor were made in 1915 by the British Army Design Committee, Trench Warfare Section in particular a 'Bomber's Shield';<ref>Sheffield, G (2007) ''War on the Western Front in the Trenches of World War I'' Osprey Publishing p228</ref> "bomber" being the term for those who threw grenades rather than [[grenadier]]. The Experimental Ordnance Board also reviewed potential materials for bullet and fragment proof armor, such as steel plate. A 'necklet' was successfully issued on a small scale (due to cost considerations), which protected the neck and shoulders from bullets traveling at {{convert|600|ft/s|abbr=on}} with interwoven layers of silk and cotton stiffened with [[resin]]. The Dayfield body shield entered service in 1916 and a hardened [[breastplate]] was introduced the following year.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sXCn3WrINjwC|title=World War I Trench Warfare (2): 1916–18|author=Stephen Bull|year=2002|publisher=Osprey Publishing|page=12|isbn=978-1-84176-198-5}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The British army medical services calculated towards the end of the War that three quarters of all battle injuries could have been prevented if an effective armor had been issued.

The French experimented with steel visors attached to the [[Adrian helmet]] and 'abdominal armor' designed by General Adrian, in addition to shoulder "epaulets" to protect from falling debris and darts. These failed to be practical, because they severely impeded the soldier's mobility. The Germans officially issued body armor in the form of nickel and silicon armor plates that was called ''Sappenpanzer'' (nicknamed 'Lobster armor') from late 1916. These were similarly too heavy to be practical for the rank-and-file, but were used by static units, such as sentries and occasionally [[machine-gun]]ners. An improved version, the Infanterie-Panzer, was introduced in 1918, with hooks for equipment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-on-land/73-weapons-equipment-uniforms/879-body-armour.html|title=Body Armour For The Western Front In The Great War|author=David Payne|access-date=2013-11-17|archive-date=2010-03-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323074030/http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-on-land/73-weapons-equipment-uniforms/879-body-armour.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The United States developed several types of body armor, including the chrome nickel steel [[Brewster Body Shield]], which consisted of a breastplate and a headpiece and could withstand [[Lewis Gun]] bullets at {{convert|2700|ft/s|abbr=on}}, but was clumsy and heavy at {{convert|40|lb|abbr=on}}. A scaled [[waistcoat]] of overlapping steel scales fixed to a leather lining was also designed; this armor weighed {{convert|11|lb|abbr=on}}, fit close to the body, and was considered more comfortable.<ref>{{cite web|title=Body Armour For The Western Front In The Great War|url=http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-on-land/73-weapons-equipment-uniforms/879-body-armour.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323074030/http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-on-land/73-weapons-equipment-uniforms/879-body-armour.html|archive-date=March 23, 2010|website=www.westernfrontassociation.com}}</ref>