I would sincerely appreciate any opinions on this Iron Cross that was recently donated to a thrift store from whom I obtained it. This Iron Cross has a non-magnetic center that doesn't appear to be brass. Did they make the center piece out of a different non-magnetic metal? There is an interesting old scratched inscription on the reverse side "22.X.1944 1940 (small 40, perhaps denoting hours and minutes) Killila Finnland". Does anyone know the significance of this inscription?
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Another photo -
Cross looks like a W&L (maker 100) with zinc core
I would guess the years are the years he served and the place Kilillä could be the place where he was awarded the cross or something similar.Comment
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Yes a W&L manufactured EK2 with 3rd late war zinc core .
Issue date in 44 ..... with what seams to be the time 1940 hrs ?
Killilä being the location most likely - do not know where that is .
DouglasComment
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I actually think the Place is Kittilä instead of Killilä.
Kittilä is located in North west LapplandComment
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I agree with Douglas
W&L manufactured three type inner core brass,zinc and iron
however, I do not understand why it is two different dates
because IMO this not time ,but a date 1940
maybe the one the donation time ?
but what the other?
death time or something else ?
but why have in the middle the late date 1944 and the early date the on side ?
It is likely that we will not knowComment
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The date and location fit in very well with the withdrawal from Finland. The award i would say was almost certainly for actions against the Finns.
Whilst i won't be able to give you a specific unit, i should at leat be able to tell you which units were in Kittilä on that date.Collecting German award documents, other paperwork and photos relating to Norway and Finland.Comment
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I've checked the war diary of the 20 Geb.Armee around the date and i can tell you for certain that elements of the 6 SS Geb.Div. Nord were in Kittilä at that time. There will have been other units there as well, but Nord is a certainty.
If the cross was a US vet bring back, i'd put money on it coming from a soldier of the Nord division.Collecting German award documents, other paperwork and photos relating to Norway and Finland.Comment
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