BACKGROUND: The Close Combat Clasp series of awards were introduced on November 25TH 1942 for award to personnel who fought in hand-to-hand combat situations unsupported by armor. The Clasp was issued in three grades, of Bronze, Silver and Gold with each successive grade signifying more days spent in hand-to-hand or close combat. Criteria for award of the clasps consisted of fifteen days of hand-to-hand combat for bestowal of the Bronze clasp, thirty days of hand-to-hand combat for bestowal of the Silver clasp and fifty days of hand-to-hand combat for bestowal of the Gold clasp. There was also a prescribed, combat to time served ratio, enabling long serving personnel to be eligible for award of a clasp.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Die struck zinc construction clasp. The clasp features a central square panel with a recessed background field with an embossed national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a canted swastika in it’s talons, positioned above a crossed bayonet and grenade, flanked by four oak-leaves and dual acorns superimpose on a ribbed, horizontal outward, pointing base. The recessed, central, square panel has a blued, magnetic sheet metal, backing plate positioned behind the eagle, bayonet and grenade motif which is held in place by small, crimped side tabs on the reverse. The solid reverse has a solid, soldered, hinge inset into a rectangular recess with raised lips, a broad, tapering, horizontal pin and a heavy soldered catch inset into a circular recess with raised lips all intact. The reverse is well marked with the embossed designer’s name and location, "F.E.C. W. E. Peekhaus Berlin", and the manufacturer’s stylized initials within a rectangular border, "JFS", indicating manufacture by Josef Feix Söhne of Gablonz.