Unissued - Navy Destroyer Badge by S.H.u.Co.

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

Unissued Kriegsmarine Zerstörerkriegsabzeichen im Etui by Sohni, Heubach und Co., Idar-Oberstein. See page 242 & 243 of “The Kriegsmarine Awards” Vol II to see the hoard that this came from discovered in a tailor’s shop that was walled up in 1945 and reopened in 2009 during reconstruction. The Navy Destroyer War Badge was authorized on June 4th 1940 and would 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. The badge is constructed out of a die struck zinc base that has been blackened and gold gilded. The obverse features a destroyer ship breaking through the sea below a kriegsmarine eagle (with out-stretched wings, clutching a swastika within its talons), which is then all encompassed by a laurel leaf wreath that is tied together at the bottom. The full back reverse of the badge is fully blackened. It is correctly marked: “S.H.u.Co.”. It has the correct; soldered on round wire tombak top hook, soldered on tombak sheet metal hinge, soldered on oval plate round wire catch and round wire pin. The pin, catch and hinge remain in well working condition. The details throughout the ship, waves and eagle are beautiful. It measures 2 1/8 inches high by 1 13/16 inches wide. It show minor gilt/blackening absorption. The badge comes housed in its original issue minty cardstock stapled carton box. It reads: “Zerstörer” to the top. It measures 2 ¼ inches wide by 2 7/8 inches long by ½ inch thick. A great hoard find!