antique WWI imperial German soldier's brass match box cover Gott mit Uns

Antique World War One era German soldier's brass cover for a pocket sized box of matches.

The brass cover is embossed with the imperial crown of the German Second Reich and the WWI German slogan -Gott mit Uns- (-God is with us-).

This slogan was widely used through out the German armed services during the First World War. It was engraved on bayonets, stamped on belt buckles, embroidered on flags and more.

The remains of the matchbox inside the cover is marked for the Red Cross and made in Norway. So we think that this probably belonged to a soldier or sailor who was taken prisoner and was given the box of matches by the Red Cross while in an enemy prison camp.

There is a small hole in the edge of the cover, perhaps for a lace or fob so that it wouldn't be lost if dropped in the dark.