Rare & Minty – Cased Destroyer Badge by Schwerin

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

A Zerstörerkriegsabzeichen m Etui by C. Schwerin & Sohn of Berlin. The Navy Destroyer War Badge was authorize on June 4th 1940 and 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 tombak base that has been gold gilded and chemically blackened. 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 full back reverse is maker marked: “Schwerin Berlin 68”. It also shows a tombak; soldered on block hinge, soldered on flatwire catch, round wire top hook and a coke bottle pin. The catch is closed over the pin making it stationary. The gilding and blackening are superb and are covered by a nice coating of lacquer! It measures approximately 2 1/8 inches high by 1 13/16 inches wide. It comes housed in its original light blue paper covered stapled cardstock carton. It measures 2 ½ inches long by 2 inches wide by ½ of an inch thick. There is some wear to the one corner. A very rare assembly! You likely won't see another in your lifetime...