Austria, Empire. A Military Merit Cross, Second Class, With War Decoration And Swords, By R. Marschall certificate_of_authenticity Lippe-Schaumburg

Lippe-Schaumburg

with a shallow crack on the reverse

with maker's mark of Carl Eickhorn at the crossguard (double squirrel)

A cap eagle adorns the crown in addition to the metal wreath and cockade fastened to the front of the cap

Although Barker was reportedly not a highly skilled pilot

Austria, Empire. A Military Merit Cross, Second Class, With War Decoration And Swords, By R. Marschall certificate_of_authenticity Lippe-Schaumburg(Militrverdienstkreuz II. Grades mit Kriegsdekoration und Schwertern). A silver cross pattee with red and white enameled arms; the obverse with a central white enameled medallion, inscribed VERDIENST in gilt capital letters, surrounded by a ring of red enamels; with a green enameled laurel wreath surrounding the central medallion, along with small golden swords between the arms of the cross; the reverse enameled fully in white; on a broad loop for