BACKGROUND: Due to restrictions imposed on the German’s as a result of the Treaty of Versailles at the close of WWI, the German Navy was limited to a prescribed number of vessels and were not permitted to construct any further vessels with more then 10,000 tons displacement. The restrictions imposed by the Allies also included the surrender of all German submarines with no further submarines to be constructed. On evaluating the use of torpedoes during WWI the German Navy High Command came to the conclusion that a small, fast, surface vessel equipped with torpedoes would help balance out the deficiencies that the navy was forced to endure in comparison to other potentially enemy navies. This resulted in the construction of a variety of small, fast Schnellboot’s, (Patrol/Torpedo Boats), with torpedo capability. These Schnellboot’s were manufactured at both the Lürssen and Vegesack shipyards and ranged from 23 to 105 tons of displacement, well under the Treaties size/weight restrictions. By the end of the war the Germans had produced two hundred forty-nine S-Boats. On May 30TH 1941, Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine und Großadmiral, (Commander in Chief of the Navy and Grand Admiral), Erich Raeder introduced the S-Boat War Badge for award to S-Boat personnel who met the required criteria. The main criteria for bestowal of the badge was a minimum of twelve sorties against the enemy. Prior to the introduction of the, S-Boat War Badge, S-Boat personnel were awarded the Destroyers War Badge if they fulfilled the required criteria. Of Note: A second pattern S-Boat War Badge, with minor variations, was introduced in January 1943. The introduction of the second pattern badge resulted in this first pattern badge only being in active circulation for nineteen months although personnel awarded the first pattern badge would have continued to wear it through-out the war. Also Of Note: In popular collector terminology these badges are most often referred to as the E-Boat Badge, utilizing the English WWII designation with the "E" indicating, "Enemy". With the proper documentation, recipients of most Third Reich awards, including the S-Boat war badge were permitted to privately purchase a jeweler’s copy of the award, at their own expense, if so desired. Of Note: The LDO, Leistungsgemeinschaft der Deutschen Ordenshersteller, (Administration of German Medal Manufacturers), began regulating the manufacture of German awards in March 1941 as a quality control agent for awards that were intended for retail sale and manufacturers were to use an assigned LDO, "L", code on their products destined for retail sales. Awards that were to be bestowed by the government were also issued an official numerical government contract code known as a, Lieferantnummer, (Contractors Number), that was issued by the Präsidialkanzlei des Führers, (Presidential Council of the Führers), for formally approved manufacturers. The manufacturing firms that were licenced by both the Präsidialkanzlei des Führers and the LDO and would have used the same dies to stamp both the official issue and retail sales types of awards making them virtually indistinguishable from one another except for the markings.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, die struck alloy, solid backed, second pattern S-boat badge with gilt, silver, and burnished charcoal grey finishing. The badge is in the form of a vertically oval, oak-leaf wreath with a national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a canted, swastika in it’s talons, superimposed to the top center, encompassing a long length, short silhouette, S-boat, cutting through the waves. The badge is nicely detailed with the forward torpedo tube, pilots bridge and a flag all clearly visible. The boat and the waves both overlap the oak-leaf wreath. Complete pin and catch assembly. The reverse of the badge is well marked with the embossed, overlapping, stylized manufacturers initials within a triangular border, "AS", indicating manufacture by A. D. Schwerdt, Stuttgart.