Original German WWII French Made Kriegsmarine 1st Model Fast Attack Craft “S-Boat” War Badge in Box – Bacqueville Attributed Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The Fast Attack Craft War Badge or S-Boat War Badge was a World War II German military decoration awarded to members of the Kriegsmarine for service on fast attack craft or patrol/torpedo boats. The award was instituted on 30 May 1941. Requirements to receive the award included: an outstandingly successful sortie, wounded in action, 12 sorties against enemy vessels or installations, or outstanding leadership.

The medal was produced in two versions. The original 1941 version, this example, consisted of a “shorter high-silhouette” S-boat with an outer gold laurel wreath of oak leaves with the German Eagle at the top, while clutching a swas. The second later version was introduced in January, 1943. It had the same basic design, but with a “longer and newer” model S-boat and a larger German Eagle at the top. The badge was worn on the lower part of the left breast pocket of the naval service tunic, underneath the 1st class Iron Cross, if awarded.

This is a very nice example of the 1st Model S-boat badge, which still looks great! It has lots of the original silver wash on the “S-boat” shown on the obverse, which now has a lovely tarnished look. There is also almost all of the original gold wash on the oak leaf wreath and eagle. Really a great looking example!

This example was made in France during WWII, and conforms well to other known examples, with the horizontal pin catch and hook on the top, a hallmark of French-made badges from Bacqueville in Northern France. There was a large Kriegsmarine presence in this area on the Northern French Coast, including the Coastal Artillery Batteries, Submarine Pens, and so forth. This made it more convenient to source these specific badges in France. It measures about 1 5/8 inches wide x 2 1/8 inches high, and the pin catch on the back is fully functional.

The pin comes in an original box, which is somewhat plain but matches the boxes usually seen in this period from Bacqueville.

We have only had a handful of these, and this is definitely the best by far. Ready to display!

S-Boat
E-boat was the Western Allies’ designation for the fast attack craft (German: Schnellboot, or S-Boot, meaning “fast boat”) of the Kriegsmarine during World War II; E-boat could refer to a patrol craft from an armed motorboat to a large Torpedoboot. The name of E-boats was a British designation using the letter E for Enemy.

The main wartime production boats, the S-100 class, were very seaworthy, heavily armed and capable of sustaining 43.5 knots (80.6 km/h; 50.1 mph), briefly accelerating to 48 knots (89 km/h; 55 mph). These were armed with torpedoes and Flak guns; commonly one 37 mm at the stern, one 20 mm at the bow with a twin mount amidships, plus machine guns. Armament varied and some S-100s substituted a 40mm Bofors or, less commonly, a 20mm flakvierling mount for the aft 37mm cannon.

The S-100-class boats were 35 m (114 ft 10 in) long and 5.1 m (16 ft 9 in) in beam. Their diesel engines provided a range of 700 to 750 nmi (810–860 mi; 1,300–1,390 km), substantially greater than the gasoline-fueled American PT boats and British motor torpedo boats (MTBs).

As a result of early war experience of combat against the fast and powerful S-boats, the Royal Navy created its MGB force and later developed better-matched MTBs, using the Fairmile ‘D’ hull design.