✚11531✚ Austro-Hungarian Empire pre WW1 Long Service Cross III. Class 6 Years

Original Austro-Hungarian Empire (pre) WW1 Military Long Service Cross III. Class for 6 Years’ Service / 1913 - 1918 issue (Militärverdienstzeichen III. Klasse für 6 Jahre), LATE WAR MULTIPIECE ZINC EXAMPLE IN VERY NICE CONDITION, ON GENUINE RIBBON, A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE

HISTORY OF THE AWARD:

Military Long Service Cross, III class for 6 years’ service, 4th issue, 1913-1918, variant with silvered medallion and oak wreath (Militärverdienstzeichen III. Klasse für 6 Jahre, 4. Ausgabe 1913 - 1918, Variante mit versilbertes Mittelmedaillon mit Eiche - Bronze Leopold cross with laterally-pierced loop for ribbon suspension; the face with a circular central applied silver medallion bearing the letters ‘VI’ (= 6) within an oak wreath, the arms of the cross with stippled panels within beaded borders; the reverse plain. The Decoration was instituted on 12 March 1890 to reward long and faithful service in the Austro-Hungarian armed forces and was issued in different versions for officers, for non-commissioned officers and for other ranks and for completion of various periods of service. This example is for Other Ranks on completion of 6 year’s loyal service but is unusual and quite rare in having a silvered medallion with an oak wreath surround. The Decoration was awarded until the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918.