Women's Legion Buttons WSWL & WL
 

Attached is the well known button for the Women's Legion.

The Imperial War Museum has a different design in its collection:
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30077000

I copied it and turned it 180 degrees. See attached picture.
The letters are W.S.W.L.
the IWM assumes the letters may be Women's Services.
My guess is War Services Women's Legion.

Does anyone know what these letters are?

Hello btns,
I think you're correct - the cover and title page of the history of the Women's Legion is:

War Service Legion
and
Women's Legion
1915-18

Steve H

Thank you!

I think I have found the book you have mentioned:
https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/c...legion-1915-18

Bradley, Rose M.
War Service Legion and Women's Legion 1915-18 c.1918
79 p., [12] leaves of plates : ill., ports

Articles by other authors refer to it, e.g.
http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1317607/1/260868.pdf

I'll pass the information back to the IWM
I can now try to find out why there were two designs.

Hello btns,
Just an update to what I posted earlier.
Firstly a correction, although the book describes the founding and history of the WL it isn't specifically a history as such but more a collection of reports about the work done by the various sections. A second volume covers the years 1918-19. Together they are effectively the 'official' history.
Secondly, I think I've just discovered the reason for the second pattern of button. A report in The Times dated April 19th 1918, about a meeting held in London of the heads of the various sections of the WL, it's stated, "The War Services Legion is the new name under which the grouped activities of the Women’s Legion will be known owing to the fact that in two sections of the Legion men are now employed. The Women’s Legion remains as it is, but incorporated in the new body.”

NB in the paper it is called, incorrectly I think, 'War Services Legion' not 'War Service Legion' which going by the book is probably the correct title.

all best

Steve H

Thank you.
A poster from the V&A shows that the War Service Legion continued until at least 1921.

War Service Legion: Guild of Sailor & Soldier Broderers
Object: Poster
Place of origin: London (issued)
Date: 1921 (issued)
Artist/Maker: Braddell, Dorothy Adelaide, born 1889 - died 1982 (artist)
Materials and Techniques: Line-block print
Museum number: E.1178-1921
Gallery location: Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C, case Y, shelf 63, box A

This link states that the War Service Legion and the Women's Legion are the same organisation:
http://bowshrine.com/employment-of-w...g-world-war-i/

There are several pictures of women working with asbestos. No masks, no gloves and they must have died young.