Lorient Shield

[MilitaryCollect]

Hello,

I believe I placed this one in the wrong forum:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=242755

Thank you,

Christopher

[pantherv]

Lorient Shield

Personally I'd never buy one of these shields especially at the price dealers are asking. Has anyone got an original Lorient they could post......Peter

[tgn]

Personally I'd never buy one of these shields especially at the price dealers are asking. Has anyone got an original Lorient they could post......Peter

Peter,
I posted one this mornig, but the thread got pulled? The only way you can see it is to link on:

I believe I placed this one in the wrong forum:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=242755

Tom

[MilitaryCollect]

Lorient Shield

Hello,

I placed the "Lorient Shield" thread on the wrong forum, i.e. KM combat awards. Should have been here so I posted a link from here to there.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=242755

Christopher

[pantherv]

......

I tend to agree with Darrell on this one......I read somewhere that only one was presented to the commander at Lorient and the soldiers made there's from dog tags stamped 'Festung Lorient'........Peter

[MilitaryCollect]

Lorient Shield

Hello,

Ostensibly, there were two Lorient "campaign shields", referred to as Lorient 1 and Lorient 2. The "Lorient 1" shield was the elongated version discussed in this thread. The "Lorient 2" was the disc. One author stated that the Lorient disc [Lorient 2] was a blank identity disc made of zinc and stamped with the inscription "Festung Lorient 1944". Other sources contend that the discs were stamped out of any material available, but bearing the inscription "FESTUNG LORIENT". See "The Military Advisor" Vol. 1, No. 4, page 20 (Photo borrowed and depicted below).

KM soldbuchs are known to exist with entries consistent with this "award", but are ambiguous as to whether for the Lorient 1 shield or the Lorient 2 disc. See: "World War II German Battle Insignia" (Men-at-Arms) by Gordon Williamson and Darko Pavlovic. See also photos of such a KM soldbuch: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=242755.

I believe that the majority are in agreement that the Lorient 2 disc's are genuine artifacts and with authentic, verifiable history. But I and others believe that the Lorient 1 was also a genuine WWII shield.

I cited various threads from this site on the Lorient 1 supporting its existence. Moreover, other (German) sites also support its existence. The Lexikon der Wehrmacht site heavily relies on: Auszeichnungen des Deutschen Reiches 1936-1945" von Kurt-G. Klietmann., pp. 96-97. The text is available, albeit in German. Perhaps someone has it and can provide details as to the author's sources on the legitimacy of the Lorient 1.

It is my own theory that the initial or precursor "Lorient 1" shields were produced with at least tacit authority, in very limited quantity, and to certain individuals or units, while the garrison at large was surrounded and subjected to continual assault by naval guns, air power and land patrols from late 44' to May, 1945. Thereafter, the idea caught on (perhaps for morale), and gained official approval, but with the 26,000+ man garrison - a simpler version was adopted for wider distribution. This is perhaps the same scenario as the Black Afrikakorps cuff title. See: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=240242 - (known proof of period existence supported by pictorial evidence only).

Most who have approached this discussion have reached the same conclusion: a period photo is needed to cinch the issue. I had hoped to create discourse on the Lorient 1 which would lead to irrefutable proof. Proof positive must exist somewhere - although I believe others' accounts of vet acquisitions of this shield. Moreover, the very existence of the Lorient 2 demonstrates that the idea of a "Lorient campaign shield" was conceived and implemented. The question then is whether a precursor existed. I humbly suggest that there is simply too much evidence to dismiss the Lorient 1 shield as pure fabrication.

Christopher

[pantherv]

..........

Thanks for that Christopher.......I don't doubt the Lorient shield existed and this certainly isn't a fantasy shield.
I'd still like to see a known original .

KR...............Peter

[tgn]

Once again, here is a known original Lorient shield. Direct from a vet buy.

Tom

[WARLORD]

Again I state the one shown is a casting from the first brass fake of the shield. The originals are from thin tin, there are two designs, both very similar. The disk is also authentic, and can be found with slight word change. Both forms have been known to have been awarded.

BUT THE FIRST SHOWN IS A COPY

[MilitaryCollect]

Lorient Shield

Hi,

Please feel free to elaborate on the legitimacy of a Lorinet 1 shield.

Christopher