BACKGROUND: The Panzer Assault Badge in silver was instituted by Generaloberst Walther von Brauchitsch on December 20TH 1939 for award to all ranks of tank personnel who served as a tank commander, driver, gunner or radio operator and had been involved in three different armored assaults on three different days. The institution order indicated the criteria for award of the badge was to be effective as of January 1ST 1940. On June 1ST 1940 a Bronze version of the Panzer Assault Badge was introduced for award to Panzer-Grenadier, medical, and armored car personnel who participated in three different armored assaults on three different days. By June 1943 it was realized that the Panzer Assault Badge didn’t sufficiently recognize the number of assaults participated in by armored personnel, which resulted in the introduction of the numbered Special Grade of the Panzer Assault Badge in both silver and bronze versions on June 22ND 1943. The numbered Special Grade of the Panzer Assault Badge were awarded with the numerals, 25, 50, 75 and 100. The numbered badges followed the basic design of their un-numbered predecessors but were larger and had the addition of an inset rectangular plate with a numeral to the bottom of the wreath.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Large, three piece, die struck alloy construction, scooped backed, badge with silver, burnished grey, gilt and black washes, is in the form of a broad, vertically oval oak-leaf wreath with a Wehrmacht style eagle with down-swept wings superimpose to the top center, encompassing the cut-out, forward profile of a tank. The tank barrel, one track and a fender overlap the wreath on the right hand side. The separate, scooped backed, tank is secured to the wreath by two small dome headed rivets which are visible to the reverse. The bottom center of the wreath has a small, horizontally, rectangular panel with a separate, inset plate with embossed numerals, "25" and a raised outer edge. The reverse has a soldered, barrel type hinge inset into a rectangular recess with raised, crimped securing lips, a broad tapering vertical pin and a heavy soldered catch inset into a circular recess with raised securing lips all intact. The badge has no visible manufactures markings but is manufacture by Josef Feix Söhne of Gablonz. Nice example.