Navy Destroyer Badge by W.H.

German WWII > Awards and Medals > Navy Awards > Destroyer Badge

A Kriegsmarine Zerstörerkriegsabzeichen by Wilhelm Hobacher of Wien. Instituted June 4, 1940, the Navy Destroyer War Badge could be awarded to every crew member and officer of every destroyer, torpedo boat or S-boat who took part in the actions in Norway (especially around Narvik). They must also be in good standing and participation in either three engagements or three offensive mining operations or 12 sorties against the enemy, there were other special considerations or conditions that may grant the badge as well. It is constructed out of a die struck zinc base that has been gold gilded and chemically blackened and finished in a protective lacquer coating. The obverse depicts a destroyer ship breaking through the sea below a small Kriegsmarine eagle (with closed wings, clutching a mobile swastika within its talons), which is then all encompassed by an oak leaf wreath that is tied together at the bottom. The fullback reverse is centrally maker marked: “W.H.” and shows a soldered-on tombak sheet metal hinge, soldered-on steel round plate and soldered-on tombak round wire catch and tombak round wire pin. The lower gun has broken off. It measures 2 1/8 inches high by 1 13/16 inches wide. A rare maker.