Finland. Belt badge of a serviceman of the 5th Lynx Division

The original sign is in excellent collector's condition. Bronze, stamping, patination. The sign on the original twist. The manufacturer is KORPISELKÄ -SYVÄRI, probably Viipuri (Vyborg). According to Vladimir Glushko's catalog "Orders, medals, commemorative signs of Finland 1809-2009", the sign is No. 236. Guarantee of authenticity.

It was worn on shoulder belts and caps, and since the summer of 1942, when the open wearing of such divisional badges was no longer encouraged, they were attached to wallets, cigarette cases, or watch chains.

The 5th Infantry Division (5. Divisioona), also known as the Tavastia Division or the Lynx Division, was formed in June 1941 in the military province of Etela Hame (South Tavastia) from soldiers from the districts of Kangah Hame (Tavastia proper) and Lunois Hame (Southwestern Tavastia). She fought as part of the VI Corps of the Karelian Army, led an offensive in Ladoga Karelia, stood on the northern bank of the Svir River during the positional war, and after the start of our summer offensive in 1944, she held the line on the Pitkyaranta-Loimola line, called the "U-line". The 5th Division fought its last heavy battle on July 15-17, 1944 in the area of Lake Nietjärvi, where, having multiple superiority in manpower and artillery, with the support of tanks and aircraft, our troops could not break through its defenses. For the sake of objectivity, it must be admitted that the Finns stood to the death and held their positions, preventing our troops from advancing a single meter to the west. In other combat areas, units of our 7th Army also did not achieve significant success and the offensive stalled. On August 4, the troops of the 7th Army were ordered to go on the defensive at the reached lines.

On August 24, Finland asked the USSR for terms of peace negotiations, on September 2 severed relations with Germany, on September 3, Mannerheim ordered the transfer of army formations to the North to expel the Germans from Finnish territory, and on September 4-5, hostilities between Finland and the USSR were terminated. In the Lapland War with the Germans of 1944-1945 (Lapin sota), called by Finnish veterans the "Children's Crusade" (Lasten ristiretki), the 5th Division no longer participated.