✚10448✚ German Hesse-Darmstadt WW1 Reserve Army Service Badge II. Class Clasp

Original German / Hesse-Darmstadt Reserve and Territorial Army Service Badge, II class (Dienstauszeichnung II. Klasse, Schnalle), IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH REPLACED BUT PERFECTLY WORKING PIN DEVICE, GENUINE CLEAN RIBBON, VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF A RARE AWARD, SIZE: 45 x 20 mm

HISTORY OF THE AWARD:

Hesse-Darmstadt Reserve and Territorial Army Long Service Award II. Class (Landwehr-Dienstauszeichnung, II. Klasse), 1871-1913 issue - rectangular badge consisting of a bright red ribbon mounted on an alloy plaque within a black magnetic iron frame; the face embroidered in cream thread ‘L. III.’ (for Grand Duke Ludwig III), a Landwehr cross pattée in cream thread to either side; the reverse plain; mounted with pin for wear. The Award was instituted on 8 June 1871 following Hesse entering into a Military Convention with Prussia (there was no first class of the Hessian Award, Hesse Reserve and Landwehr officers receiving the Prussian first class Landwehr Award). It was awarded ‘für Alle, welche ihre Dienstpflicht in der Reserve und Landwehr erfüllt und einen Feldzug mitgemacht haben’ (for all who serve their duty whether in the Reserve or Landwehr and participate in a campaign). The Award was replaced by a series of medals in 1913. The small size of Hesse’s regular armed forces make this award quite hard to find.