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This is a German brass shell case dated 1944 and clear to see waffen stamp this was fired by flak 41 8.8cm anti-aircraft gun only 556 of these very large guns were ever made with the most famous use of them on the Berlin Flak towers.This case still retains its dull brass colour but has discoloured in places with some dirt and muck still attached from being buried still with all of its markings on the bottom clear to see but has no primer.The case does have some damage from being fired and buried with some dents and scraps on it but is still very solid it has been very well cleaned and is perfect for display and rare to find from the battlefield especially in this condition a case from this gun.This case was recovered from South of Berlin in the area the 9th Army fought,surrendered in April 1945 during the battle of Berlin a lovely piece of iconic battle history from the last days of the Third Reich and the fall of Berlin.The shell case comes with a A5 laminated information card.

The Red Army crossed Germany's border on the 12th January 1945 and forced the 9th Army to retreat all along the front until it was deployed westward to the river Oder. Three of the 9th Army's formations were tasked with defending the Seelow Heights, which was the last defensible region before Berlin. In total the 9th Army was reduced to 100,000 men and 800 tanks and assault guns against which the Soviets had over 1,000,000 men and 10,000 tanks and assault guns.

The Battle of the Seelow Heights started on 16 April 1945 when Marshal Georgy Zhukov’s 1st Belorussian Front attacked across the Oder. The 9th Army held the line for about 3 days. After heavy fighting the 9th Army were driven back towards Berlin split in two with bulk of the forces under the command of Theodor Busse. This large part of the 9th Army were driven into a pocket in the Spree Forest south of the Seelow Heights and west of Frankfurt.

From inside the pocket east of Frankfurt Busse attempted a breakout to the west to join up with the 12th Army. The breakout, known as the Battle of Halbe, resulted in the destruction of the Ninth Army as a coherent force. Troops that were not captured by the Soviets crossed the Elbe at Tangermunde and surrendered to the US Army.

THIS ITEM IS FREE UK SHIPPING. FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS IT IS A REDUCED RATE PLEASE ASK BEFORE PURCHASE. THIS ITEM CAN ONLY BE SHIPPED TO THE UK AND EUROPE.