Kriegsmarine Minesweeper Badge

Date Instituted:

August 31st, 1940

Awarded To:

Officers and men of the Kriegsmarine or Handelsmarine for service onMinesweepers, Sub-Hunters orSecurity Vessels.

Required Qualifications:

• Individual made 3 operational sorties, or
• Individual was wounded on any sortie, or
• His ship was sunk in action, or
• A particular sortie was highly successful, or
• For excellence in duty over 180 days, or
• For hazardous duty in a mined area, or
• For performing 25 days of escort duty

First Awarded:

November 28th, 1940

Number Awarded:

Currently unknown, although it is likely that thousands were awarded.

Grades/Variations:

This badge was awarded almost exclusively in one version, the versionshown, although it appears a higher gradeexisted consisting of the same design but with a set of 9 diamonds in thebranches of the swastika at the top in placeof the normal swastika. Such a version would only have been awarded inextreme cases to very deserving individuals.A cloth version of the normal issue badge was also issued for wear on thedark blue naval uniform.

Method of Wear:

Worn on the lower part of the left brest pocket of the naval servicetunic, underneath the Iron Cross Ist Class ifawarded, or equivalent grade award.

Notes:

Also awarded post-1943 to members of the LuftwaffeMarine-Sicherungs-Verbände.