2 Narvik bars

[Seewolf]

Hi gents,

i could get this pair of ribbon bars that are from one guy. Sadly there´s nothing more known about him.

The upper bar is heavily worn and heavy in weight. Instead of the ususal plastic stripe they used a metal sheet as underlay for assembly.
The second bar has the ususal small plastic stripe but a very unususal style for mounting on the tunic I love such weird things on bars.
Looks like the second bar was not often in wear and so it´s in a great condition....don´t know what i like more here....the worn or unworn one

Now are destroyer bars with Narvik shield nothing special, more common. I searched a little bit in the award criteria and came on the Narvik shield to nothing special...."will be issued to those who fought honourably in Narvik". But the destroyer badge was founded too after the fights in Narvik and so i looked what happened with the german destroyers.....

There were 10 destroyers active in the Narvik fights and ALL 10 got lost
They were sunk by the british navy or self destroyed because of heaviest damage of the fights.
These ten destroyers had about 3000 men complete and from these about 2600 survived the fights. The surviving crew members had then to fight on land together with General Dietl´s Gebirgsjäger.

What a story and so for me these bars became a little more special

Thanks for looking, friends

[Tom C.]

fantastic bars i never knew that the survivers had to continue to fight on land thats some new and brilliant info
as to the bars those are corkers the top one has clearly been worn a lot its a shame that theres no more info and those medals unfortunatly could apply to many men well done for getting them though

best regards
tom

ps interestingly the very early bundeswehr actually brought 4/5 british ships so he may have served postwar on a british ship (ironic)

[Nigel N]

Hi Rudiger!!
These bars are a great piece of history!!! As you said, there were a couple of fierce naval battles around Narvik in 1940, i know in the 2nd battle, the British had the battleship HMS Warspite, so the German destroyers were badly outgunned!!
The ribbonbars themselves are really nice, i'm not sure which i like best either!!
But it does'nt matter, you have them both!!!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting to see the different types of construction used on the bars too!!
Must have been quite an experience for sailors to end up in a ground role!!
Very nice bars Rudiger, with a great story to tell!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for showing!!!!!!
-Nigelbeerchug.gif

[Patrick08/15]

Congrats Rüdiger,

you don´t see Narvikbars very often and now you got two of them

But when I see this badge,there is a question in my mind!
I only see Narvik bars with Marine Decorations.But whats with the guys from the Army? Where´s the ribbonbar from the Gebirgsjäger with the silver Narvikshield?

Have anyone something like that in his collection?

[Tom C.]

Congrats Rüdiger,

you don´t see Narvikbars very often and now you got two of them

But when I see this badge,there is a question in my mind!
I only see Narvik bars with Marine Decorations.But whats with the guys from the Army? Where´s the ribbonbar from the Gebirgsjäger with the silver Narvikshield?

Have anyone something like that in his collection?

you raise an interesting point which i think lies with the number of men able to get the sheild only 2000 gebirgsjager and 1000 fallschirmjager troops who fought at narvik. for the fallschirmjager units sent in it was almost completely destroyed by the Norwegian Army during a five day battle.

still finding info on the gebirgsjager units but not many would have survived the war and gone onto serve in the bundeswehr
ill update as i find as its good history

best regards
tom

[LuckyLuudje]

Very nice and interesting bars. The lower bar have some interesting devices to attach the bar.
Congrats with your new additions

[Mike Yokum]

Some terrific bars you show us Rüdiger! As Nigel says, "Great pieces of history!"

Of course I also have great interest in anything related to the Narvik battles because of the Fallschirmjäger involvement there. The FJ's were from 1st battalion of the 1st Regiment, 7th Fliegerdivision. There were approximately 1000 of the early, super bad FJ's, some of the most soldierly men and toughest fighters through and through. Sadly, too many lost their lives there in the cold and snow.

Of note, even once the KM men were on land and for the most part without proper equipment and clothing, the Germans were outnumbered approximately 5 to 1! 5000 Germans and eventually nearly 25,000 allied troops.

On to the bars, both are excellent examples! Two different types and both early IMO. You face the age old question, "Do I like worn or minty best?" Always a tough decision. I'll take worn any day! I had a mini-bar with a brass strip rather than a plastic one. I never was able to determine if it was earlier, later or just an alternate material used at the same time as the plastic. The mini's on both of your bars look early IMO.

Great pieces Rüdiger that are perfect in your collection! Congrats!

Have anyone something like that in his collection?

I should be able to show you one within the next week Patrick and it will be worth the wait!

[luftkrieg]

Dear Rüdiger,

Two great ribbon bars!!

Your research makes them all the more special too.

Here is one from my collection, perhaps a fellow comrade in arms.

Best regards
Pierce

[Seewolf]

Thanks my friends

Indeed it makes a bar more interesting when you know the background....sometimes very special things come up

Pierce, that is a great bar, too
Nice to see that he used the Heeres Narvik shield instead of the golden KM version.
Because of the Afrika cuff he must have served (maybe partly) in the 3rd or 7th Schnellbootflottille. But don´t wonder why he didn´t get the eboat badge. The destroyer award was in the early days given too to Schnellboote and Torpedoboote because the eboat badge was founded on 30th may 1941. The first version of the eboat badge had a design that the most soldiers don´t liked and wore their destroyer badges on.

[luftkrieg]

Pierce, that is a great bar, too
Nice to see that he used the Heeres Narvik shield instead of the golden KM version.
Because of the Afrika cuff he must have served (maybe partly) in the 3rd or 7th Schnellbootflottille. But don´t wonder why he didn´t get the eboat badge. The destroyer award was in the early days given too to Schnellboote and Torpedoboote because the eboat badge was founded on 30th may 1941. The first version of the eboat badge had a design that the most soldiers don´t liked and wore their destroyer badges on.

Thanks for additional info and analysis Rüdiger. This is really very interesting.

I have at least two more ribbon bars with this combination- Destroyer Badge and Narvik Shield (golden).

Best regards
Pierce

[Mike Yokum]

Thanks for additional info and analysis Rüdiger. This is really very interesting.

I have at least two more ribbon bars with this combination- Destroyer Badge and Narvik Shield (golden).

Best regards
Pierce

Great stuff guys! Some very nice bars and great info behind them!

[Tom C.]

The first version of the eboat badge had a design that the most soldiers don´t liked and wore their destroyer badges on.

thats an interesting bit of information i never knew that brilliant

best regards
tom