The Machinegunner Sharpshooters Badge

[Don D.]

First let me say Thanks to Brian S for kick starting my interest in this badge and for providing me (he probably doesn't know it) with the idea for this thread.

Second, this thread is going to take me a little bit to lay out so please don't respond until I have all my evidence out on the table.

We all know that this badge is heavily faked. We also believe that few soldiers actually wore this badge at the front. My purpose with this thread is to provide collectors with the knowledge to weed out the fakes and in doing so I will also hope to dispell the myth that this badge wasn't worn at the front. My evidence comes from 6 period photographs, each with one or more badges being worn.

The first shot is a studio portrait. Notice how clear the badge is.

[Don D.]

Close up of the badge. Notice the detal. Pay attention to the front legs of and the gaps in the trail.

[Don D.]

Number 2 is another portrait.

[Don D.]

and a close up of his badge.

[Don D.]

Number 3 shows two soldiers with the badge on a railcar in Feb 1919. They are the first two soldiers on the left. Definately post war by 3 months but not studio photos either.

[Don D.]

I will only show the badge on the first soldier. The other is hard to see.

[Don D.]

The fourth picture shows a soldier standing outside- perhaps a snapshot taken at the barracks. It definately isn't a studio shot.

[Don D.]

Close up of this badge. Only the front is clearly visible. Notice the contour and relief of the badge.

[Don D.]

Photo 5 sounds at least 2 badges being worn. These soldiers are either in garrison or behind the front somewhere. Again, not a studio shot but in their service uniforms.

[Don D.]

These badges are harder to see but the images provide a feeling of the badges' thickness/relief. This shot is on the man sitting in the center.

[Don D.]

This is the man standing on the right of the formation holding the reins of the brown horse.

[Don D.]

Last photo is a studio shot. Again, notice the pride and clarity with which the badge is presented.

[Don D.]

close up of this badge. Again, notice the front legs and the gaps in the trail. These areas (I believe) are key to identifying an original badge.

[Don D.]

We have here a good mix of period photos showing the badge in wear. We also have accounts of allied soldiers looking for germans wearing this badge after battles. This leads me to believe that the badge was worn in combat, at least in the beginning if not throughout the entire war. Perhaps it fell into disuse as materials and supplies became short and moral plummeted.


The pictures also provide us with clues to finding the real badges out there now.
I will next post a succession of badges for you to compare to the ones above. You have to sense more than identify individual features but in the end you should be able to at least discard the obvious fakes and spot several 80-90% good ones.

Here is a composite so you don't have to scroll up.

[Don D.]

#1- to make it easier I will shrink the badges for you.