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  #1  
Old 14-04-14, 03:35 PM
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Default WW1 ancillary buttonhole/badges

Am posting a few WW1 associated badges. I find that such items give a sense of atmosphere to the period just the same as contemporary photos and postcards do.
Display is not in any chronological order and, as always, comments are very welcome.

Row 1:
(a) On War Service 1916, brass women's badge, maker Wylie & Co London, brooch fitting
(b) On War Service 1915, g/m, 'K' J.R.Gaunt & Son Ltd London, buttonhole
(c) On War Service 1914, gilt and enamel 'Admiralty' version, W. J. Dingley B'Ham, buttonhole
Row 2:
(d) War Munition Volunteer, g/m with brass slider (cap badge?)
(e) Royal Ordnance Factory, 13; maker T.L.M. Ltd B'Ham, brooch fitting
Row 3:
(f) English Sewing Cotton Company Ltd, War Work, enamelled, maker Thomas Fattorini Ltd, Regent St Birmingham; brooch fitting
(g) Comrades of the Great War, gilt & enamel, J.R.Gaunt, buttonhole
(h) Disabled Exservicemen Assn, 1914 - 1918, gilt & enamel, buttonhole. (Note that Ex-Servicemen is written as one word)
(i) Officers and Men, 1914 -1918, buttonhole.

I would suppose that the brooched badges were worn by women, while the buttonhole badges by men.
Not all are numbered.

Would any of these be scarce?
GTB
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  #2  
Old 14-04-14, 05:24 PM
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I have read that the introduction of 'On War Service' badges would have had a twofold purpose, i.e. indicating that the wearer was officially 'doing his bit', albeit not in uniform; and a deterrent against being presented with the "coward's badge" or a white feather from patriotic but misguided ladies.
Would anyone please enlighten me as to these white feathers? Were they plumage plucked from birds, and if so, which birds? Or were they artificially produced feathers, similar to the later mass-produced poppies?
GTB
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  #3  
Old 14-04-14, 09:54 PM
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White goose and duck feathers would have been freely available from the butcher unlike today's factory plucked and processed birds.
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Old 14-04-14, 10:12 PM
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GTB,

All are excellent examples of their type.
The top row are common.

e) Royal Ordnance Factory, 13; maker T.L.M. Ltd B'Ham, brooch fitting- is quite a bit more collectable

(f) English Sewing Cotton Company Ltd, War Work, enamelled, maker Thomas Fattorini Ltd, Regent St Birmingham; brooch fitting is the most valuable.

On war work badges that pertain to a particular employer or factory are the best ones because people like to collect to their geographical area quite a bit.

regards
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  #5  
Old 15-04-14, 03:20 PM
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Default WW1 anciliary buttonhole/badges

I can provide some information about the "On War Service 1914" and the "On War Service 1916" badges.

"On War Service 1914": The Admiralty Badge
The first official move to recognise and "badge" essential war workers was made in by the Admiralty on 26th December 1914 when this badge was first issued to "workmen whose services are indispensable for the rapid completion of H.M. Ships and Armaments". Some 500,000 were issued. The Admiralty badges were initially un-numbered and this resulted in them being worn by men who were able to enlist and were not required for essential war work. This was later rectified with the issue of numbered badges in early 1916. The unauthorised transfer of a badge to another man was also forbidden at this time.

"On War Service 1916": The Women's Badge
In May 1916 a triangular brooch was introduced as an identifying insignia for the increasing number of women employed on war work. It was available for women "engaged in the manufacture of munitions of war or other urgent war work", which included women employed full-time in canteens "etc" of such establishments, skilled and unskilled workers, clerical staff in the approved companies, charladies and cloakroom attendants. Over 270,000 of these badges were issued to women between May and December 1916. The badges were numbered but, since women were not subject to conscription, they appear to have been handed out rather randomly and little attempt seems to have been made to record which badge was issued to which worker.

And on the subject of white feathers. The retired Vice-Admiral Charles Penrose-Fitzgerald announced on 30th August 1914 that he was forming a band of 30 women who would present a white feather to "young men of public school and university education ... found idling and loafing instead of setting an example to working men". After that white feathers were handed out all over the country, although they were often mistakenly given to men who had been invalided from the trenches or who were otherwise unqualified for military duty.

Pete
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Old 15-04-14, 04:47 PM
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The attached may be of interest in connection with this thread.

Jon
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  #7  
Old 02-05-14, 09:57 AM
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Default Further WW1 lapel badges

Am adding a few more.
top to bottom:

OHMS Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Co Ltd enamelled On War Service lapel badge (Small chip to enamel)

Sterling silver and enamelled 'Entente' and crossed British & French flags

The cherry on the cake! Old Contemptibles Association bronze membership badge (No. 1954A)

GTB
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Old 01-02-19, 01:05 AM
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Hi

Very much like your Disabled Ex-Servicemens' badge. Not seen this one before but I did know of the organisation. Should you ever want to trade/ sell, PM me!
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