Glider badges => my big love

[Stijn David]

Hello,


Here is my newest piece (only a few hours in my possesion) and it is directly from Germany into my collection.

Enjoy as there is a story attached towards this badge


Cordial greetings ,


ps: who can say wich maker this badge is?

[Stijn David]

This particular badge

Hello,


This badge originates from Uffz. E.Kirsche, he was born at 24.08.1920.(from his early years untill 1939 my trace is white and i can't give any information on this person.

On 01.04.1939 he was drawn into the RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst) => to be exact: RAD Lager 5/155 (Fraunstein/Erzgebirge), during 05/1939 he was commanded towards the so called Gau-Stabwache located at Dresden + a promotion followed towards : Vormann.

During August 1939 the RAD Lager was transferred towards the border with Poland + after the occupation of Poland this grouping was moved towards Warschau.

On Oktober 1940 Uffz.Kirsche was released from duty in the RAD and he was drawn into the Luftwaffe as he was a skilled Glider pilot in the NSFK, etc...
His first actual LW-Training he received at a so called "Sonderlehrgang" at Laucha and from there on he was placed at Rositten (Reichssegelflugschule) => this school was a part of the later so called "Erg.Gr (S) 1" .

On 15.01.1941 our LW soldier was replaced towards Hildesheim (namely at the LLG 1), during this period he was trained further to become a completely trained Glider pilot.

After this basic training he was placed at the 5./LLG 1 + on 01.10.1941 our friend was promoted towards Gefreiter. He stayed with the above named unit untill early 1942.

More to follow .......

Cordial greetings,

[Stijn David]

the following.......

During these early months of 1942 Gefr. Kirsche was trained in so called "Sturzfluge" and a second promotion followed on the date of 01.10.1942 towards Obergefreiter.

During December 1942 he followed a "Unteroffizier's Lehrgang" and after the succesfull ending of this course he was promoted towards Uffz.

At the beginning of 1943 his unit was transferred towards the Eastern front and it was planned to be involved in the actual suppky of the troops trapped at Stalingrad and the way can be discribed as following :

* Halberstadt => Berlin => Stalino

The glider planes (type DFS 230) followed apart with the train (with delays oiffcoarse), after days of waiting another order did come in to be replaced towards Saporoschje. After the arrival these glider piltos where immediatly commanded to defend the Airfield as the danger did exist that the Russians could atatck this airfield.

During these days the order did reach the unit to be transported back towards its homebase "Halberstadt". This backtransport was with the Ju 86 and a landing followed at Lemberg where the actual plane was to be left back, from there on the trip did go on with the train.

At Hildesheim the unit was regrouped and did become the DFS 230 (Glider plane ) and the Do 17 as a towing machine. After about 14 Days the unit was transferred towards France and made a intermediate landing at Bonn.

During Mai/June 1943 the unit was replaced towards Lesignan (France) , from this place further trainings where such as nightlandings, etc ...

More ........... soon

[Stijn David]

the next months .....;

during August 1943 Uffz.Kirsche made training with the so called "Bremsraketen" at Istres.


The planning did exist to fly towards Italy On 17.08.1943 but the allied bombing of Istres did interrupt this planning => during this heavy bombing uffz. Jirsche was heavely wounded by Bombfragments and did knock him out of active duty untill August 1944.

After his hospitalisation he he was transferred towards Zellhausen and from there on furtherwards to Stendal.

End 1944 he was replaced towards the so called "Frontflieger-Sammelgruppe" at Quedlinburg + from there on towards Silberhütte.

At Silberhütte (Harz) Uffz. kirsche did become a prisonner of war at 01.05.1945 . His POW-ship did last for about 1 year untill he was released at March 1946.

Uffz. Kirsche's awards during the complete war where (in chronological order)

* Silver C-Certificate
* Glider pilots badge (awarded medio Mid 1941)
* Wound badge in Black

This actual badge was presented by mr. Kirsche towards a wartime friend long after the war (to be exact at 1985) as a remebrance piece. This person (himself a Crete Glider pilot veteran) did become a friend of me during the last years.

As off today i received this actual badge from my Glider pilot friend as a new years present as a remembrance towards the German Glider pilots and there actual mission

I hope you guys did enjoy reading

Cordial greetings,

[Michael Kuligowski]

That's a great story.. really enjoyed reading... Thank You for sharing

PS awesome badge !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tim Calvert]

Thanks for sharing Mr. Cholm Glider. Very Nice!


I'll take a guess ... BSW???

[Óscar G]

Congratulations, Stijn, for this new awesome badge. The story behind makes it look the "ideal" for our collections! I´m green with envy...

Regards and enjoy it. Óscar

[Stijn David]

Glider badges

Hello,

Thank you for the comments => These little badges make collecting fun, thats for sure

@ Tim: you are 100 % correct, it is a perfect unmarked buntmetal BSW Glider pilots badge

+> here is a picture of the reverse, note that on this one the catch is once again missing (this is seen in quite a few cases with these BSW badges).

The badge itself is uncleaned and retains most (about 90 %) of its original finish on the eagle, etc ...

Cordial greetings,

[ERIC S.]

Wonderful story and AWESOME BSW Stijn!! I still lack a BSW Glider Badge in my collection - keep making those tremendous Glider friends Stijn. Maybe one day when you get sick of one of your BSW's you'll let a friend know??
(hint hint!)
ERIC

[chris clark]

would i be correct in that this badge is alot rarer than i would imagine.any ideas on how many would of been awarded? personally this is the first one i have ever seen and i think its an awsume piece..well done

[Dirk]

.

Stijn- As always a great addition to your collection...thanks for sharing it. Dirk

[Ian Tannahill]

Giday Stijn,

First, let me congratulate you on yet another fine addition to your collection.

Secondly, thank you for sharing with us views of the badge and the history of the former owner.

All the best,

Ian

[stogieman]

My guess would have been....

... BSW as well, but I would have waited to see the back, which absolutely confirms it, doesn't it Stijn? Nice badge! Better story!

[martin]

I never tire of seeing Glider badges, absolutely wonderful.

[Stijn David]

Glider pilots badges

Hello,


Thank you once again for the comments my friends, now lets answer some quistions in chronoligical order:

@ Eric : mayby some day => but i think you will have to wait really long before i seperate from my beloved badges

@ Chris : At this time I can't say howmuch where actually awarded but my estimation would be between 1500 and 1800 at the most. You are 100 % correct in saying that these badegs are rarity's and I just love them .

@ Ian : These glider pieces are in good hands

@ Rick : You can recognize these badges from a mile distance=> simply by looking at the eagle, etc ....

@ Martin : you are correct => I also never get tired of looking at these badges

Cordial greetings,

ps: sadly enough the original recipient died in 2002