BACKGROUND: The General Assault badge was introduced on June 1ST 1940, by Generaloberst Walther von Brauchitsch, for award to support personnel who were ineligible for the Infantry or Panzer Assault badges. Criteria for award of the badge was basically the same as the criteria for award of the Infantry and Panzer Assault badges with the main qualification being participation in three separate assaults in a supporting role. On its introduction the badge was only intended for award to combat engineers and was designated, Pionier-Sturmabzeichen, (Engineer’s Assault Badge). Shortly afterwards award of the badge was extended to other support personnel including artillery and assault gun personnel, anti-tank and anti-aircraft personnel and medical personnel. Of Note: Before the introduction of the Tank Destruction Strip in March 1942, personnel who had single handedly destroyed an enemy tank with Infantry weapons were awarded the General Assault Badge.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Die struck, partially scooped backed, alloy construction award with a silver wash features a cut-out, high relief, Wehrmacht styled eagle with down-swept wings, clutching a canted swastika in its talons, positioned above a crossed bayonet and stick grenade, and encompassed by an embossed, vertically oval, oak-leaf wreath. The reverse has a very subtle scooped depression to the eagle and the crossed bayonet and stick grenade. The reverse has a crimped, soldered hinge with raised securing lips and a thin, round, vertical, pin intact although the catch has broken off but the circular base plate remains. The badge has no visible manufacturer’s markings although it shows the characteristics of a badge produced by the Rudolf Karneth firm of Gablonz. Of Note: A photographic example of this type of badge can be seen in Frank Heukemes’s book, German Awards of World War II The General Assault Badge on page 122.