A WWII type German military decoration The Lorient campaign 1944 Shield. The shield features a giant warrior above the submarine with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. The date 1944 is located at the top. At the bottom of the sign it reads Lorient. Lorient was a German submarine base in Brittany which remained an isolated area of resistance following the successful American attack on the beaches of Normandy in 1944 and the liberation of the area. The German troops were completely cut off from the rest of the army, so they created an unofficial badge themselves in a local fish cannery in 1944. Second World War Historical Collectables And Memorabilia, Military Insignia Orders Badges And Awards.