RN Dispatch Rider's Badge

[Guzzman]

I have recently returned from West Wales where I spent some time at Pembroke Dock investgating what remains of the old Royal Dockyard which existed there and closed in 1926.

An excellent heritage centre has been established in the old Dockyard Chapel. This tells the story of the dockyard itself and tells how, after the closure of the dockyard, the site became the RAFs largest seaplane base.

Amongst the items on display was something which I thought members of the forum might find of interest. Displayed in a glass cabinet was the WWII uniform of a local man who served as a stoker in the Royal Navy. It seems that he also served as a Royal Navy Dispatch Rider as the uniform has a Dispatch Riders badge on the right cuff. There are also photographs on display of the man wearing his uniform complete with the Dispatch Riders badge.

The badge has obviously been privately purchased and it must be admitted that it is not the finest example of badge making ever seen. Such badges were technically illegal but were tolerated during WWII. The badge is in gold wire and consists of a winged wheel above the letters 'D. R.'.

I have two examples of this badge in my own collection - one in gold wire and one embroidered in red. I obtained these from a former RN Dispatch Rider. However, I have never seen an example of this badge in situ on a uniform. I regret that I forgot to make note of the gentleman's name. I have included some images of both the badge and the photograph which shows him wearing it. Sorry about the poor quality of the images but it was hard to get decent pictures because of the glass of the cabinet.

Pete