General Assault Badge

The General Assault Badge was awarded to personnel of the German Wehrmacht (army) who were not in infantry or tank units during World War II.

Instituted on 1 June 1940, the General Assault Badge (Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen) was awarded to assault engineers (pioneer) as well as to those troops who supported infantry and armor units in combat. Also included were other engineering units, artillery, anti-tank (pak) units, anti-aircraft (flak) units and some medics.^[1]

Criteria

Requirements for the badge are listed below.^[2]

• Participation in three infantry or armored assaults

• Participation in three infantry or armored indirect assaults

• Having been wounded while fulfilling the above requirements

• Having earned an award while fulfilling the above requirements

• Not being eligible for the Infantry Assault Badge (ie. this award was for non-infantry soldiers)

Design

The design was an eagle clutching a swastika over a simple crossed bayonet and grenade, surrounded by an oval of oak leaves. The award only came in a silver class.^[3]

References