Africa Cuff Title facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Africa cuff titleÄrmelband Afrika |
|
|---|---|
.jpg){kind=small}
The Africa cuff title
|
|
| Type | Campaign cuff title |
| Eligibility | Wehrmacht personnel of all three services |
| Awarded for | Participation in the North African campaign, 1941-43 |
| Campaign(s) | World War II |
| Description | Band worn above left cuff of uniform |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 15 January 1943 |
The Africa Cuff Title, also called the Africa Cuff Band, was a special military award. It was given to German soldiers during World War II. This award was for those who fought in the North African campaign between 1941 and 1943. It was a band worn on the uniform sleeve.
What Was the North African Campaign?
In February 1941, Germany created the Afrika Korps. This was a special army group. Their job was to help Italian forces in North Africa. They fought against British and Commonwealth soldiers.
General Erwin Rommel led the Afrika Korps. They also had support from the German air force (Luftwaffe) and navy (Kriegsmarine). These forces took control of large parts of Libya and Egypt.
However, they were finally defeated in October 1942. This happened at a place called El Alamein. The German forces had to retreat. Allied forces also landed in Morocco and Algeria. The last German units in Africa surrendered on May 13, 1943.
Early Cuff Titles
Before the Africa Cuff Title, there were other arm bands. In July 1941, the AFRIKAKORPS cuff title was created. It was dark green with white and khaki borders. Soldiers wore it on their right cuff. This was a badge to show they belonged to the Afrika Korps. It was not a campaign award. If a soldier left North Africa, they could no longer wear it.
The German air force also had its own cuff title. The navy might have had one too, but it was likely unofficial. These early bands were not for soldiers who had left North Africa.
Who Earned the Award?
On January 15, 1943, Adolf Hitler officially created the Africa Cuff Title. It became a formal campaign award. This meant it was given for taking part in the fighting.
To earn this award, soldiers needed to serve for at least six months. This service had to be in the North African war zone. However, there were exceptions:
- If a soldier showed great bravery, they could get it sooner.
- If they were wounded, they could also get it sooner.
- If a soldier was killed, the award was given to their family.
- If a soldier got very sick and had to leave, they needed three months of service.
After May 6, 1943, the time needed was shortened. Soldiers only needed four months of service. The last day to apply for the cuff title was October 31, 1944.
How Did It Look?
The Africa Cuff Title was a band about 32mm wide. It was made of mid-brown camel hair fabric. The word AFRIKA was embroidered on it. On each side of the word, there was a palm tree design. The top and bottom edges had a silver-grey strip.
The design was the same for all parts of the German military. This included the army, air force, and navy.
How Was It Worn?
Soldiers wore the band on the lower left sleeve of their uniform. They could also wear it on their greatcoats. If a soldier earned more than one campaign cuff title, they usually wore the earliest one earned above the others. However, this rule was not always followed strictly.
After World War II, many Nazi-era awards were banned. But the Africa Cuff Title was allowed again in 1957. This was because it did not have the swastika symbol. So, it could be worn without changes. Veterans in West Germany could wear a small replica of the cuff design. This was on a silver-edged mid-brown ribbon.
See also
- Orders, decorations, and medals of Nazi Germany
- Crete Cuff Title
- Metz 1944 Cuff Title
- Courland Cuff Title
