Honor shield of the XI. Air Corps
The honor shield of the XI. Flieger-Korps was a non-bearable award of the German Air Force during the Second World War , which was donated and awarded by General der Flieger Kurt Student as a recognition plaque for the island of Crete in the course of Operation Merkur for the Flieger-Korps involved in 1942. In this way, excellent fighters who had received the Crete cuff bracelet could also be awarded the badge of honor.
First type
Probably the best-known type of shield is 144 mm high, 114 mm wide and was made of zinc or another white metal . It shows two squares, the upper one of which is slightly larger. This shows a paratrooper eagle falling to the ground within a wreath of oak leaves as well as the slightly upwardly curved inscription: KRETA 1941 (underlined). The lower and smaller square, on the other hand, shows the underlined inscription: IN RECOGNITION / SPECIAL MERIT Underneath, there is an embossed blank line for the name and military rank of the borrower and a facsimile of the donor student .
Second type
The 150 mm high and 80 mm wide badge of the second type shows on the upper edge the national badge of the air force, which is flanked by the dates of the battle for Crete. 5/20/41 (left) and 2/2/41 (right). The five-line inscription follows under the national badge: IN RECOGNITION / SPECIAL MERIT / IN THE WORK IN CRETE / I LEND THIS SIGN / THE . This is followed by a small brass plate, which is attached to the shield with two rivets and shows the name and military rank of the borrower in engraving. The small inscription DER KOMMANDIERENDE GENERAL / DES XI is offset to the right at the lower edge . FLIEGER CORPS read. The lower end of the plaque is the geographical outline of the island of Crete.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Klaus D. Patzwall : The non-wearable medals and plaques of the air force. 1935–1945 (= Studies on the History of Awards. Vol. 5). Patzwall, Norderstedt 2008, ISBN 978-3-931533-04-5 , pp. 131-134.