François Saez and Paul Williams
For an article on the badge, see the Observer Badge page.
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Certificate #24125 awarded to a Feldwebel in February
1940.
This document bears the facsimile signature of General der Flieger Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf who was Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office of the RLM from September 1939 to February 1943. Size: A5 (Click on the image of the document for an expanded view)
Photo courtesy of Gene Ashton
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| Certificate #31918 awarded to Gefreiten Ernst Richter in June 1940. He is recorded as winning the German Cross in Gold in January 1945 whilst a Leutnant in a Stuka squadron. This document bears the signature of section chief Generalmajor Karl Barlen who signed on behalf of the Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office ("i.V." is "in Vertetung" = in deputation/signed for). Generalmajor Karl Barlen (1890-1956) became a General der Flieger and from April 1943 was CO of Slovakia ("Kommandant der Schutzzone Slowakei"). He suffered ten years of Russian captivity. Size: A5
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Certificate #62048 awarded to Flieger Herbert Fuchs in November 1940. Fuchs was an Observer in Lehrgeschwader 1 and was awarded the Honour Goblet in September 1943. This document bears the facsimile signature of General der Flieger Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf. Size: A5 (Click on the image of the document for an expanded view)
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A second issue ("Zweitschrift") document - the original certificate #152 570 was awarded to Gefreiten Adolf Rutscher in January 1944. This reissue occurred in May 1944. This document is signed by a Colonel from the Luftwaffe Personnel Department .... note the acknowledgement of the original signatory, Generaloberst Bruno Loerzer. Size: A5 (Click on the image of the document for an expanded view)
Photo: private collection
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Awards were also entered into the airman's Soldbuch and Wehrpass ....
The award of the Observer Badge recorded in the Wehrpass of Generalmajor Felix Vodepp.
Felix Vodepp served from 1910 through the 1st World War until 1938 as
an Engineer Officer in the
Austrian Army. In 1938 he joined the Luftwaffe - initially at Luftkriegsakadamie
Berlin-Gatow, then as Chef der
Stabes of Luftgau Kommando XIII in Nürnberg, VI in Münster,
Ostland in Russia and Kommandeur
des Erkundungsstabes des Festungsbereiches in Luftgau XVII. Herr
Vodepp died on 18.4.1967.
His awards include the German Cross in Silver (18.12.1943).
Photo: private collection
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Pictured to the left is a page from the Soldbuch
of Leutnant Adolf Büsges which records the award of the Observer badge
in June 1942. Note his earlier achievement of the Air Gunner badge
- June 1941. (Note that this page is an extra page glued over the
exisiting awards due to the Soldbuch being full.)
After training in various Luftnachrichten and Luftflotten Schule, including a short term with Luftnachrichten Abteilung 31 during the campaign in France, Adolf Büsges transferred to Kampfgruppe 100 in October 1941 (unit renamed Kampfgeschwader 100). Missing in action 8.9.1942 in the Stalingrad area after being rammed by a Russian fighter, he had completed 167 combat missions. This awards page bears the signature of Oakleaves recipient Hansgeorg Bätcher. Photo: private collection
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