3rd Tank Battalion CEF BADGE on eBay
 

Does anybody know why there was I sudden bid retraction on this badge?

Is this not a cap badge?

Please clarify if you know something.


Thanks in advance!

Rob

Link to the auction. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Extremely-Ra...item519bc14fd8

Unusual that there are several retractions but probably someone trying to see what the other bidders top bid was.
Lee

Some clarification please. My understanding was that the 3rd Tank Battalion was a "paper" battalion only. It was authorized October 29, 1918, but never organized?

Perhaps the badge is a fake? That might explain the retractions.

If I knew how to delete the above post, I would do so. I know nothing about CEF badges, nor why any bidders retracted. My apologies to the forum & the vendor for the flippant remark.
.....D

Here are scans of my badge. The lugs have been removed and the backing glued on. If you look carefully (I can see it when in my hand) there is the same sterling mark on the base of my badge as is on the ebay badge.
I would have to say that the bidding should be fierce at the last minute for this one.

Gary,

Could you provide measurements!

Would you consider this a sweetheart ?

Cheers
Rob

It is small, only 3.5 cm by 2.9 cm, same size as the one on ebay. I wouldn't consider it a sweetheart with the lugs. There are "lug bases" on mine where they were cut off.

Take a look at what it sold for - follow Bill's link above.
I still prefer the badges to the fighting battalions and locally raised units.

Phil

I am with you on this point!


Cheers
Rob

If I was 8hussar, I'd have that listed in no time.......:D

Re; bid retraction, I asked for some better photos of the reverse of the badge after seeing some concerns in the low res ebay photos I had not noticed when initially bidding with my iPhone while travelling.

Upon seeing the better photos this badge on a large hi res screen vs my iPhone screen a couple days later it simply fell outside my comfort zone which for a badge this rare and expensive is admittedly small.

Calling and speaking candidly with Brent he graciously gave me permission to retract my bid despite an unconditional hands on inspection and money back guarantee but you know how it is, once you have a question about an item in your collection, your just never comfortable with it, so I accepted his offer and retracted. Why others retracted or if they spoke to Brent as I did I do not know.

I did not want to come and say anything until the bidding ended so as to not influence bidding.

Lesson learned, no iPhone bidding on items of this rarity, my mistake.

Cheers
Doug

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, however since I've been on vacation I've finally had time to sit down and flip through this treasure trove of knowledge and focus on some of my areas of interest.

I have been reading a rather interesting book called "Dragons Of Steel. Canadian Armour in Two World Wars" By John F. Wallace, MC. He discusses the 3rd Canadian Tank Battalion:

The Government decided before August 1918 that the third tank battalion should be from Quebec, but it was not until October that the government's intentions were made known in the for of a press release, delivered to Mr Dafoe of the Canadian Press. It was designed to attract attention. The Quebec battalion would be "in an arm of the service which has attracted mu attention, has won much glory and has proved of extraordinary efficacy. It is intended that the French Canadians thus will have a complete distinctive unit and that such an arm has attracted a particularly fine type of young man"

The Government had again misread the reality of Quebec. Recruiting was confined solely to the province and, to ensure that the unit would be French speaking, no bilingual English-speaking Canadian would be permitted to enlist. Encouraged by the University of Montreal, the unit was to use the university as the "foundation on which to build the superstructure." During the following week, Major Paul Ostiguy took command of the University Company, or as Maj Ostiguy was to call it " The Montreal Company, 3rd French Canadian Tank Battalion, C.M.G.C., CEF"

Recruiting was so slow, that the AG was forced to advise the CGS that "the days of voluntary enlistment are over." On 19 November, a week after the end of the war, Army headquarters ordered that the 3rd Canadian Tank Battalion and tank reinforcements should be disbanded. Up to that time, the strength of the Montreal Company was only 57, considerably less than the 139 required. The unit was formally disbanded on November 26, while the last person to be struck off strength was Major Ostiguy, on January 9, 1919. At the time the unit was being disbanded, he received a request from Ottawa for a badge for the unit. He replied that "orders have been issued for demobilization...no further action will be taken in regard to the special badge. It is unclear whether in fact a badge had been struck but, in any case, in the 1960s. Col J.W. Ostiguy and his 3 brothers, all sons of Major Paul Ostiguy, arranged to have an artist to reproduce a badge for the 3rd Canadian Tank Battalion for use by the Royal Canadian Armour Corps School then located at Camp Borden Ontario.

Pages 95-96 from Dragons of Steel.

If anyone is looking for a copy, here is a link

https://www.amazon.ca/Dragons-Steel-.../dp/1896182046

My guess is that if they were going to make a badge, be it something their father had drawn up, or by someone who had served with the Bn, they probably would have made a few copies that are floating around in various collections.

So Bill, hopefully that provided some insight into your question above about it being a paper unit and never actually organised.

Thanks Brad. That puts some provenance on these badges that show up.
And, one should also be aware that there are copies out there.