RND Officers Badge

[Cleeman]

I have recently picked up a small RND Bronzed Officers Service Dress Badge. COX has it as their catalogue number 1680.

However, the badge itself was mounted on a piece of cardboard that stated it was WRNS.

Has anyone come across this badge before and is anyone aware of the WRNS officers wearing OSD badges?

[Alex Rice]

Can you post a picture please?
Thanks, Alex

[Cleeman]

Hi pic as requested. Shown with standard officers badge to illustrate size. It is fitted with blades.

[Alex Rice]

I am 99% certain it won't be WRNS but there is a lot of missing knowledge about RN badges, not enough published info. I would think maybe a variation on the standard OSD badge? Any chance of a close-up of the back?
Looks nice though.
Cheers,
Alex

[Cleeman]

Hi Alex,
Pic as requested.

[Alex Rice]

Hi Cleeman
Thanks for the pic of the back. It looks genuine enough but really I have no idea what to say? I wonder if it may have been a sort of trial issue? Perhaps they made a few but then decided against using the small badges and just stuck to the bigger ones? If it is a genuine period badge it's a real stunner, I'd love one for my collection. There is no mention of a small version in Coleman's book but the info in there is generally quite limited.
Cheers,
Alex

[arrestingu]

that's a cool badge LOL love it !!

[Cleeman]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Will file it away in my collection of RND badges as an Officers OSD smaller pattern, as per COX 1680.

Andy

[Alex Rice]

Never seen Cox but I doubt if it's that, I think you should send it to me for safe keeping

[Cleeman]

Sorry Alex,

Santa's little pressie is for me.... I would like to think it is something to do with the WRNS as per the description on the card it was mounted on. However, no-one has come back with any other suggestions, so going with COX.

http://image.slidesharecdn.com/first...?cb=1394416698

The women at the bottom left of this photo. Is she a WRNS in khaki?

[Alex Rice]

No, I'm pretty sure she is the same medical type as the rest of the women. They all have the lace & curl on their sleeves.
Cheers,
Alex

[RCN]

Tunic & cap look American to me...what period is the photo pls?

Bryan

[Cleeman]

Hi Bryan,

The photo is from a WW1 centenary site, celebrating women within the services. I would assume the photo dates from that era.

The caption reads "English nurses tending to wounded soldiers close to the front". Your observation that they may indeed be American would obviously show up inaccuracies on this website.

Cheers
Andy

[RCN]

Andy - they could also be British Red Cross Society. The lady standing at the rear left has chevrons point down & US Army was point up (ie: inverted), but the style of tunic (stand up collars)is what made me think US army.

They all seem to be wearing that RN type of curl on their lower sleeves. What that might signify I am unable to say. I have checked a few of my circa
1WW booklets but have not been able to locate anything definite, except the BRCS wearing chevrons on upper arm sleeves.

& I have never seen any ladies wearing that type of cap the two kneeling ladies & two standing in the rear are wearing.

Be interesting to see if someone might be able to ID their uniforms & Unit,

Bryan

[Guzzman]

Certainly not WW1 WRNS. Headgear and uniforms completely wrong and WRNS officers had the diamond instead of the round curl on their rank insignia. I agree that there is an American look about their uniforms.

Pete