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Old 30-04-12, 09:09 AM
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According to the newly-republished Doing Their Bit : Home Front Lapel badges 1939-1945 by Jon Mills (Sabrestorm Publishing) the badge was approved by the King in March 1938 and an initial order placed with the Royal Mint that month. It was designed by a Mr Coombes who worked at the mint and the silver colour was chosen as a link to the silver badges and trimmings worn by the Volunteers.

The badges were numbered and numbers 1 and 2 were presented to the King and Queen as Honorary Colonels of TA regiments. It was issued to all TA officers and ORs on enlistment and came with a certificate but issues ceased in 1939 when the TA was absorbed into the army. All pre-war examples have a lapel fixing. It was revived for the postwar TA in 1947 when a pinback version was introduced for the ATS (later WRAC) TA.

Similar badges exist for the ATS, Royal Army Reserve, Regular Army Reserve of Officers and the RAFVR.

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