WREN Cap Badge Question.

[Alex Rice]

Hi All
I'm hoping to get some info from our learned members. In EC Coleman's book Rank & Rate Vol 2, he shows a wartime issue Wren officer's badge with a metal crown instead of the bullion crown. I am certain that the image in his book is photoshopped so my question is whether there really was a badge like this? Has anyone every seen one or even better, can somebody post a photo of a genuine one?
Thanks.
Alex

[Guzzman]

I have several King's Crown WRNS officers cap badges in my collection. None of them are the metal wartime economy type and I have never seen one. Mind you, collecting has long since taught me that doesn't mean they didn't exist!

The best person to ask is David Howell. He is the expert on navy cap badges. I will see him at Stratford this weekend so I will ask him.

Pete

[Alex Rice]

Hi Pete
Thanks, I have a couple in my collection and have seen many, but never an economy version. What worries me is that a badge that by probability 'should' have been made, can't be proven until seen...
Cheers,
Alex

[Guzzman]

Hi Alex

I quite agree! You would expect that there SHOULD be an economy version of the cap badge but there is no evidence, so until you see one you can't be sure ...

Pete

[Guzzman]

Hi Alex

Sorry I was interrupted by my five year-old! What I meant to add was that I have recently completed research into WRNS uniforms and badges and I found no reference anywhere to wartime economy issue cap badges for officers. However, we all know that doesn't mean they weren't ever issued! Purely from memory I think the RN economy officers didn't come in till 1944 (as I say this is purely from memory and I'm sure that if I looked it up I would find I'm wrong!) and after D-Day the number of WRNS was steadily reduced. Maybe there were enough bullion cap badges in stock to continue issuing them to the reducing number of WRNS officers?

Pete

[Phil2M]

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/111428333867 is listed as an economy issue wrens badge. I have my doubts though.

Phil

[sailorbear]

Originally Posted by Phil2M

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/111428333867 is listed as an economy issue wrens badge. I have my doubts though.

Phil

Look remarkably "new" and pristine for an item that is 70 years old?

[Alex Rice]

Originally Posted by sailorbear

Look remarkably "new" and pristine for an item that is 70 years old?

I'd like to be proven wrong but the economy RN cap badges were made due to a shortage of gold wire, so why do an economy version of this in metal when they were blue cotton embroidery? Seems like a stupid idea????
Cheers,
Alex

[Guzzman]

Morning All!

I saw David Howell at Stratford yesterday and asked him about this. He can confirm that a war economy version of the WRNS officers badge WAS produced in 1944 but I don't think that many were issued. The badge was as depicted in Coleman's book with the bullion crown being replace with a metal crown. As has been pointed out already the laurel leaves are embroidered as opposed to being made of bullion so there was no need to produce an all-metal version. The image in Coleman's book has been photo-shopped but is otherwise correct. David has one is his collection.

Regards

Pete

[conservator]

Further to the previous comments, this photo shows a Standard Pattern economy badge, with metal crown, metal fouled anchor and blue embroidery. The two standard badges are shown for comparison, with their bullion crowns and bullion fouling. It may be that these economy badges were made but only a few issued before the war ended, surplus stocks being used for sending out as Standard Patterns. Whilst the label states that the crown should be St Edward's, and the fouling from left to right, there is no mention that the crown and fouling should be bullion, though I imagine this to be an oversight.
George

Badges for ident pics 27 Oct 14.jpg

[Milmed]

Hi all,
Excuse my ignorence, but if my eyes do not deceive me, the card attached to the economy badge has a sealed date of 01/02/1967 (22 years after the war) and refers to it having a St.Edwards crown (i.e. what is more commonly refered to as a Queens Crown - Post 1953). It appears this badge may have been made by a manufacturer who did not have access to a Queens crown and attached a Kings crown to the sample badge. In my opinion this has no relevance to WWII WRNS officers badge.

Steven

[SAS1]

I'm not a collector of Navy badges but certainly RAF officers economy badges began to appear in 1944. I have ATC dress regs for, I think April that year which mentions they were now available due to a shortage of bullion wire.

Several versions exist, the standard being a gilt or brass eagle over bullion leaves, surmounted by a bullion crown. Economy versions include bullion crown and metal leaves, metal crown and bullion leaves and all metal.

I also have a Chaplains version (which has the eagle replaced with the Chaplains device but no leaves) with metal crown.

[Alex Rice]

Guys,
Thanks for proving the existence of the economy crown WRENS badge. Now I just need to find one...
Cheers,
Alex