Die Geschützführerauszeichnung
There was a long tradition within the Austro-Hungarian artillery to signify the gun layer of a gun with a special lanyard, the so-called Vormeister-Schnur. However it was not until 1910 that a specific lanyard was introduced to mark the Geschützführer or the actual gun commander. In contrast to the Vormeister-Schnur the Geschützführerauszeichnung, a gold colored lanyard, was a qualification badge. To receive this lanyard the recipient had not only be be a NCO serving at this particular appointment but also had to be qualified as a gun commander and to have successfully passed through the special training for appointment as such.
The entire qualification lanyard was made of golden colored metal filament, twisted, with two stylistic acorns and three loops at the ends. The larger lanyard was 44 cm long and 0,5 cm wide, the loops and the ends with the acorn-pendants each 6 cm long. The loop above the two acorns was fixed under the qualification cockade for first gunners, the long twisted chain on the button of the left shoulder strip and the smaller cord on the second front button of the tunic. Often there was also a small drill-whistle fixed on this end-loop.
This qualification lanyard was to be worn on the colored peacetime dress as well as on the grey field blouse. Similar to all qualification badges further awards of this lanyard ceased when the war started in 1914, but it was in use until the end of the war.