GERMAN WWII LUFTWAFFE RADIO OPERATOR AIR GUNNERS BADGE WITH BATTLE OF BRITAIN PROVENANCE.

A very nice high quality C.E.Juncker Berlin marked and produced Luftwaffe Air Gunner/Radio Operators Badge with good finish remaining to the wreath. Good depth of detail to both the wreath and the diving eagle. Two delicate domed rivets on the reverse side with its correct Juncker construction pin, hook and hinge. The badge is slightly bent for the following reasons, the badge was removed from the tunic of Feldwebel Helmut Winkler, the radio operator/air gunner of Messersmidtt BF110 C/4, Stab III./ZG76 after it had been shot down by Pilot Officer H.C.Upton of No.43 Squadron on Wednesday 4th September 1940, the aircraft crashing at 1.25p.m. in a field called Long Furlong near the village of High Salvington near Findon, Sussex. The Messerschmitt was piloted by Oberleutnant Walter Schiller had taken off from Laval Airfield in France on bomber escort duties, after baling out The Air Gunner Feldwebel Winkler was arrested and taken to Worthing Police Station where this badge was taken from his uniform by the Superintendent on duty. The research of the crash comes with this badge also a handwritten note from a family member to whom the badge was handed down to. The bend in the badge was probably due to the parachute harness in stress mode when the parachute opened . A highly interesting piece of Battle of Britain interest.

Code: 81560