Thanks for some of your PM comments concerning the AP badge, below i have added a pic of the reverse.
There has been some doubt on its authenticity, this doesn't surprise me as this is indeed a very rare badge and came into
my late fathers collection by chance really, i wont bore you with the details but it was sent away to be authenticated to an
"expert in Milirtary articles" named Sir T W Archibald who resides in Causewayside Edinburgh EH91QF, this was done over 20yr
ago so dont know if he still lives there but still have the letter.
Anyway he stated that the badge was indeed a genuine 2nd example hollow back (repros normally solid) which apparantly was
made when the Junker factory was bombed and the first set of dies were destroyed in 1944, this apparantly you can tell by the
shape of the skull which differs from the first example because it resembles a "monkeys skull", but the badge has had a
replacement hook which had been done during the period, this i wouldn't have thought would be bothered with on a repro, also
the "Hakenkreuze" and "Hydra" heads are extremely fine unseen on repro examples even now, there is some wear on the skull and
oaklleaf band but this is down to wear and age rather than casting, this is a bronze DIE stamped example not casted or coloured
metal, the pin also is the broard proper type used and again not seen on any repro, also there is a certain amount of "patina" on
the badge which had taken a while to amount.
(PS: Have tried to add the pic file of the reverse of badge but is refusing me saying "board attatchment quota reached", have
erased some pics from my forum archives but no joy
)
Regards Peiper
John