Norm F

Amazing photo Martin! Looks like the only way you can tell them apart is by the darker waves on the left brother's Minesweeper badge! Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Joe, This is very interesting and I look forward to your photos! Two questions: 1) What was the date of the Rogge and Mohr presentation session? 2) What allows you to date the blue boxes to after Jan, 1942? Best regards, ---Norm

Another one! Excellent. Somehow they're all ending up in Norway! There aren't any in Canada.... Cheers. ---Norm

And here he is in Mürwik in 1938 at Marinenachrichtenschule, wearing a buckle that must have been much like yours!

Hi Morten, Here's my Dad in November 1937 in "Grundausbildung" in Stralsund. Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Morten, Fantastic! (That's exactly the type and year I'm looking for since my father was in the 3. Schiffstammabteilung in 1937.) Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Arne, Well, a happy coincidence. You'll notice they have the same reverse setup. Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Jan Arne, Another really nice badge. I agree with your assessment of an unmarked S&L. Just out of curiosity, was this badge acquired along with the u-boat badge you just posted? Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Jan Arne, Very nice badge. It's the same as Michel's described in this this thread. I presume the round wire catch is applied end-on in the typical Lüdenscheid "question mark" fashion? It shows the typical Type 1 die feature of the "squished laurel leaf". Personally I believe this to be the tombak S&L. The idea of a W&L attribution arises from the few Type 2 die "non-squished laurel leaf" examples that exist with W&L's "100" mark on the pin, raising again the ongoing discussion of a possible working relationship between W&L and S&L. Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Hubert, Please show the obverse of that last one. It looks like a beauty! Best regards, ---Norm

In Mike's article on the Flotten-Kriegsabzeichen you see just we expect the statistics to suggest -- i.e. dome-head hinge pin associated with the round-bottomed "C", and flat or no-head hinge pins associated with the flat-bottomed "C". There are probably a few flat-bottomed "C"s out there somewhere paired with leftover dome-headed hinge pins (and I think somewhere I may have seen a minesweeper like that), but I expect them to be the exception rather than the rule. You and I will just have to keep track of all the badges we see with attention to this detail! Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Hubert, Just to be clear, I'm not saying the flat-bottomed "C" catches are more common than the round-bottomed "C" catches (quite the opposite since round "C"s predominate and therefore so do dome-head hinge pins); I was suggesting that within the sub-category of badges with flat-bottomed "C" catches, the dome-head hinge pins are less common than flat/waffle/beheaded collectively. But as you say, it's subjective without collecting a large series so I too could be wrong. Regards, ---Norm

Hi Hubert, Sounds good. Is it not also fair to say that the flat-bottomed "C" catches are much less commonly paired with dome-head hinge pins than with flat-heads? ---Norm

Thanks Gordon, There are exceptions but my impression is that generally the dome-head pins correlate with the round-bottomed "C" catch (probably earlier) and the smooth flat-heads or waffle-heads (or no-heads) correlate with the flat-bottomed "C" catches. This seems to apply across the Schwerin badge lines. Has that been your observation as well? Cheers. ---Norm

Another fabulous posting. Thanks very much Gordon! Two questions: 1) Is that a waffle-head hinge-pin? 2) Is the flat wire catch in the shape of the rounded "C" or the flat-bottomed "C"? Best regards, ---Norm

Stunning! Like being in a time warp, I feel like I'm witnessing an award ceremony. Best regards, ---Norm

Nice closeups! Jan Arne's badge has the classic S&L-type catch which appears on a wide variety of S&L badges. Martin, what catch is on your AC -- this characteristic metal catch like Jan Arne's or the generic flat wire catch? Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Jan Arne, You now have quite the collection of L/21 marked pieces! Nice addition! Best regards, ---Norm

Correcting my statement above. This rarer setup is found on the Auxiliary Cruiser badge (Martin has one), but I haven't seen this particular hinge block and pin combination on the minesweeper and Coastal Artillery (although the same catch can be found on all of them). Cheers. ---Norm

Hi Jan Arne, A nice S&L attributed HSF with the rarer reverse hardware. This same setup can be found on the S&L zinc minesweeper, Coastal Artillery and Auxiliary Cruiser badges and it's the least common setup on all of them. Best regards, ---Norm

Fantastic Martin! Not only the find of the negatives but also your darkroom skills...a rare talent nowadays. Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Gordon, I know they'd be worn by a Feldwebel (senior NCO) but would they ever be worn by a Maat or Obermaat (junior NCO)? Best regards, ---Norm

Hi Dan, I wouldn't say they were particularly scarce. You see a fair number of these anodized aluminum eagles around but they are quite nice. Cheers. ---Norm

Hi Dan, The maker is J.C. Maedicke, Berlin. This is the eagle for the officers' white summer uniform. Best regards, ---Norm

broken catch