Navy U-Boat Badge by L/13

German WWII > Awards and Medals > Navy Awards > U-Boat Badge

A Kriegsmarine U-Boots-Kriegsabzeichen by L/13 – Paul Meybauer of Berlin. Instituted October 13, 1939, the Navy U-Boat War Badge was awarded to those who proved themselves with at least two or more sorties against the enemy, exceptions may be made in the case of a wounded crew member. It is constructed out of a die struck zinc base that has been gold gilded and finished in a protective lacquer coating. The oval shaped obverse depicts a U-Boat that is surrounded by a laurel leaf wreath that is tied together at the bottom and is below a Kriegsmarine eagle with outstretched wings clutching a swastika in its talons. The full-back reverse is maker marked: “L/13” and displays a soldered-on tombak block hinge, a soldered-on flat wire catch and a tombak round wire pin. The zinc has absorbed most of the gold gilding. It measures 1 7/8 inches wide by 1 ½ inches tall. A rare variant!