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DUNKIRK SHIELD
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Extremely rare Duenkirchen Shield.
The port city of Dunkirk, made famous for the withdrawal operation of 1940, was again the center of fighting in 1944-45. After the allied landing, Dunkirk was surrounded but singled out by Hitler as one of the port cities that was to hold out for the longest possible time.
Dunkirk was under the command of Konteradmiral Frederich Frisius, who counted on a force of 15,000 men made up of some Infantry Division and assorted personnel. Opposite them were men from the free Czech brigade, who had landed in Normandy in June 1944. Though totally surrounded, Konteradmiral Frisius launched a raiding operation codenamed "Blucher" on April 5th, 1945. It was only a small-scale attack but it took the Czech and British forces by complete surprise because of its ferocity. Counter-attacks to dislodge the German forces from their new positions were unsuccessful. As mentioned above, the forces were able to hold out until the end of the war.
The shield was only locally authorized.
The specimen offered here is die struck in a metal alloy color bronze, it has a flat top and rounded bottom. Across the top in capital letters is the work "DUENKIRCHEN". The body of the shield is occupied by the watchtower of Dunkirk, with the numbers "19" and "44" on either side on the top of the tower and waves in three lines behind it toward the bottom. Across the bottom part of it, there is a chain consisting of seven links.
Three drilled holes are visible on each corner and on two of them there still is a thread used, possibly, to sewn the shield to a cap.
A very rare shield, only seldom offered on market.
Extremely rare Duenkirchen Shield.
The port city of Dunkirk, made famous for the withdrawal operation of 1940, was again the center of fighting in 1944-45. After the allied landing, Dunkirk was surrounded but singled out by Hitler as one of the port cities that was to hold out for the longest possible time.
Dunkirk was under the command of Konteradmiral Frederich Frisius, who counted on a force of 15,000 men made up of some Infantry Division and assorted personnel. Opposite them were men from the free Czech brigade, who had landed in Normandy in June 1944. Though totally surrounded, Konteradmiral Frisius launched a raiding operation codenamed "Blucher" on April 5th, 1945. It was only a small-scale attack but it took the Czech and British forces by complete surprise because of its ferocity. Counter-attacks to dislodge the German forces from their new positions were unsuccessful. As mentioned above, the forces were able to hold out until the end of the war.
The shield was only locally authorized.
The specimen offered here is die struck in a metal alloy color bronze, it has a flat top and rounded bottom. Across the top in capital letters is the work "DUENKIRCHEN". The body of the shield is occupied by the watchtower of Dunkirk, with the numbers "19" and "44" on either side on the top of the tower and waves in three lines behind it toward the bottom. Across the bottom part of it, there is a chain consisting of seven links.
Three drilled holes are visible on each corner and on two of them there still is a thread used, possibly, to sewn the shield to a cap.
A very rare shield, only seldom offered on market.