SAR 20#2

EMMAGEEMAN’S CORNER
MACHINE GUN MEMORABILIA
BY ROBERT G. SEGEL
Royal Bulgarian military shooting badge
“For Masterly Shooting” that appears on
the front of the badge. The monogram of
King Boris III (1918-1944) is to the center
with crossed rifles, crossed machine guns
(one Schwarzlose and one Maxim) and a
stick grenade below with the royal crown
at the top. Screw back.
Czechoslovakia 1st Republic Machine
Gun Specialist sleeve badge. Grey wool
cloth with central silver bullion image of II
over 1 over a design representation of the
Schwarzlose M07/12 machine gun within
a silver bullion border.
World War I German death card. Four sided; the front has a photo image of the fallen
soldier. Note the machine gun marksmanship badge on his sleeve. The rear has his
name and details of his death. Inside has a picture of Christ and prayers. Translation of
the German text reads; “As a pious remembrance in prayer of the virtuous young man
Matthias Bruckmoser Sergeant in the 16th Bavarian Infantry Regiment Machine Gun
Company No. 1, holder of the Iron Cross 2nd Class, nominated for the Military Service
Cross 3rd Class, who died the hero’s death for the Fatherland on July 5, 1918 at the age
of 22 years as the result of a shot to his head after 32 months of most faithful performance
of his duty. R.I.P.”
World War I trench art hat made from a 4.5 inch Howitzer shell.
Affixed to the front is a New Zealand Machine Gun Corps brass
cap badge. Above the visor is a copper driving band. There are
full ordnance markings on the shell top including the date of 1915.
Italian colonial interwar high relief bronze 30mm medal. The obverse
shows an Italian machine gun crew wearing sun helmets firing a
Schwarzlose M07/12 in the North African desert with sand and palm
trees present. The reverse is marked: LXIII Battaglione Mitraglieri Motoizzato
“Cirene” (the 63rd Motorized Machine Gun Battalion Cirene
– Cirene is the area where the unit was based in Libya). The red and
white enameled bar is the collar insignia of a machine gun unit.
WWW.SMALLARMSREVIEW.COM 97 SAR Vol. 20, No. 2