German item found in Shropshire field

[Friedland]

A work colleague approached me the other day when he heard that I collected militaria and asked me to identify this. I photographed it on the canteen table (front and rear shots) - so apologies for any quality issues.

He had a metal detector as a kid and was wandering across a farmer's field in Shropshire around 1979 when he found what appears to be a Third Reich St. Christopher badge. He said it was originally bent over and covered in mud, and later took it to a local jeweller to have it straightened. He said it had possibly been silver plated at some point.

I asked him if the field he found it in had any historical significance (possibly an old POW camp). He said not at all, and had always been farmland. My only guess was that POWs had been used as labour on farms, and that maybe it had been dropped by one of them. Anyway, I said I'd place it on the forum to see what others think.

Love the small detail of the staff car on the left with tiny figure in it!

[Friedland]

A browse of the internet suggests it's a car badge (?). Strange that it should turn up in a field in Shropshire though!

If anyone could provide a bit of background detail on these things (how they were used? who made them? etc) I'd be interested.

[Frundsberg]

It is not III-Reich item. Führer means just "leader" in German.

[Friedland]

Ok. So (my poor translational skills aside) it must mean "St. Christopher lead us"? or something similar. The one thing that did attract my curiosity was the lack of any swastika emblems, which is why I thought it could be home made or something. I'm assuming now that the car is just representative of the 'modern' traveller? etc.

Thanks for your input Frundsberg.

[Gouldy]

seems odd having a picture with a car in the background for something saint Christopher?

[GEORGE]

he is also the patron st of travellers,so not so. i keep one in my car. regards,george w

[Paul D]

Definatley not an item related to the third Reich , just a St Christopher in the German languauge that's it i'm afraid

[NickW]

St Christopher medallions for mounting to the wooden dashboard of vintage cars are quite common – the car shown is probably contemporary to the date of its manufacture. I never cease to be amazed at what turns up in the middle of farmer’s fields and often wonder how these things ended up there!