Rare Cased - Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge by GWL

German WWII > Awards and Medals > Luftwaffe Awards > Ground Combat Badge

A Very Rare - Erdkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe im Etui by Gebruder Wegerhoff of Lüdenscheid. The Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge was authorized on April 1st 1942 and could be awarded to all soldiers, NCO's and officers who accumulated at least three different fighting days on which they fought with bravery. It is a two piece badge, constructed out of a die struck zinc base that has been silver washed and chemically blackened. The oval shaped obverse features black clouds with a lightning bolt/downward pointing sig-sagged arrow coming out of it into mountains, this is all below a Luftwaffe eagle clutching a swastika within one of its talons and is all surrounded by an oak leaf wreath that is tied together at the bottom. The full back reverse is correctly maker marked “GWL”. It also displays; a stamped catch, a stamped hinge and a nickel-silver round wire pin. All of the components continue to work well. It measures 2 3/16 inches tall by 1 11/16 inches wide. The award comes housed in its original GWL deluxe issue case. The case is constructed out of a wood and pressed cardboard base that is covered in a simulated grained blue/black ‘alligator skin’ leather. To the front is a gilded steel ornate clasp. To the back are two gilded steel, staggered, piano hinges. The interior-bottom of the case is constructed out of a pressed cardboard base that is covered in a light blue spray on fibrous felt material that outlines the pin, hinge and catch assembly. The interior top is covered in that same light blue fibrous felt. The interior hinge has torn as a great majority of these have. There are scuffs to the exterior. The case measures approximately 3 1/8 inches wide and deep and 15/16 of an inch thick. A very rare maker for these and its even rarer to find them in the case!