(Kriegsmarine Marineartillerie Fotoalbum und Verleihungsurkunden). A fascinating lot of photos, award documents, and insignia from the estate of Heinz Merrbach, a Kriegsmarine soldier in service with a coastal artillery unit. The group consists of:
1. A private wartime photo album, constructed of a heavy card stock binding with a faux dark brown leather exterior liner, the spine perforated with four holes reinforced with magnetic metal grommets through which is a loop a drawstring to securely maintain the album’s structural integrity, the cover bearing a raised magnetic metal Stahlhelm and inscription of “KRIEGSERINNERUNGEN” (“WAR MEMORIES”), the interior content consisting of 24 black card stock pages, in turn pasted with 202 black-and-white images documenting Merrbach’s service time with a Kriegsmarine coastal artillery unit, many of the images supplemented by handwritten inscriptions indicating that Merrbach was primarily stationed on the Frisian island of Norderney, with scenes of Merrbach and and compatriots in uniform and with awards visible, with many images of personnel drilling, manning defensive positions, at leisure, and notably accompanied by scenes of defensive positions and weapons firing, unmarked with the exception of Merrbach’s captions, measuring 315 mm (w) x 225 mm (h), some photos have loosened and the album demonstrates minor material fatigue consistent with age, an interesting look at wartime service in near extremely fine condition.
2. A group of three award documents, including one for a Coastal Artillery War Badge, named to Merrbach as a Marineartilleriegefreiten, issued at Wilhelmshaven on 10 August 1942, featuring the handwritten signature of Konteradmiral Gustav Kieseritzky (German Cross in Gold, 20 October 1943; Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, posthumous, 20 November 1943), measuring 150 mm (w) x 210 mm (h), with minor creasing and discolouration evident, in very fine condition; one for a 1939 Iron Cross II Class, named to Merrbach as an Obergefreiten, issued at Cuxhaven on 23 November 1943, featuring the handwritten signature of Konteradmiral Ernst Scheurlen (German Cross in Gold, 29 September 1943), measuring 140 mm (w) x 200 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition, and; one for a 1943 Inselmeisterschaft (Island Championship) 100 meter spring first place finish by Merbach, issued at Norderney on 18 July 1943 and featuring the handwritten signature of an unidentified Korvettenkapitän, measuring 210 mm (w) x 300 mm (h), with minor material fatigue evident, in very fine condition.
3. A pair of insignia, including a generic coastal artillery personnel sleeve badge, constructed of dark navy blue wool, the obverse bearing a machine-embroidered golden-yellow coastal artillery insignia, unmarked, measuring 58 mm in diameter, in near extremely fine condition, and; a coastal artillery specialist’s trade badge, constructed of dark navy blue wool, the obverse bearing two machine-embroidered red chevrons topped by a coastal artillery insignia, unmarked, measuring 70 mm (w) x 90 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition.