Munitions Workers

[Investment]

Nice picture :-)

[Investment]

This one too :-)

[kingsley]

Those of you who know how, keep trying to retrieve my earlier Munitions Worker post of a couple of years ago. They must be in the Forum archives somewhere.The enamelled badges were incredible, one, from memory, was an association badge for Australian workers in UK.

[Chipper]

Originally Posted by dumdum

Hi Tim

Here are two "variations" on the Imperial Service "tablet". Both picked up here. Wonder about the G.S. buttons but I guess you never know when you might need one......

All great badges, thanks for letting us see them.

I quiet like the RVA badges, haven't got any, but certainly very collectable. Do you know how many associations there were? I guess NSW, Vic, QLD, SA, WA, Tas are are a given, but NT?

Cheers, Tim

[dumdum]

Hi Tim

A little bit of a departure here but thought that the Forum might like to see another "adaptation" of badges.

So here you get "three-in-one" (a bit like the oil....!) : British Legion;Ypres League; Coldstreamer's Assoc

Would be nice to have a name to go with it but maybe our imagination is better than reality.

Enjoy!

N.B. Ypres League is the rarer silver LARGE size. Also found in BRONZE and smaller size.

[dumdum]

Hi Tim

I think that you are correct about the R.V.A. badges. I do have some duplicates so I'll let you know what I do have and maybe you can PM me and we can work something out.

From 1916-1919 the R.S.L. (Returned Services League) was called the Returned Soldier's Association (or R.S.A.) copying the N.Z. model. They each had their own "state badge"

Way back I think I did a post on this topic, but didn't know how to upload pics so these were absent from my post.

Pleased to announce that this is now part of my "skill set"!

Cheers

Ray

[dumdum]

Hi all

Here are three lesser-known OWS badges. The Australian ones turn up on eBay but sellers seem to seek fabulous prices for them.

The smaller one is made by Fattorini and the enamelled example is "W.J.D." for "W.J. Dingley". The hallmarks are either 1916,1917 or 1918 but I would have to check. The "black/white" squares are the Australian "div H.Q." colours for the patches worn on the shoulder.

The N.Z. one is a fairly "rare bird" I think and is bronze with the black enamel.

There is one for sale here right now but it is described as a "mystery badge" and is a little bit "rich" for my liking.

All are "pin backs" suggesting that they were for "female staff" (use this basic logic to identify the "purpose" of your badge!)

[dumdum]

Hi all

Here is a little "puzzle" for those of you who like this type of stuff.

It is made from thin sheet brass and around an inch and a half in diameter. It looks to be around WW1 era and is clearly a "one off", tolerably well made. From memory it was said to have come from a house clearance in the U.K. and turned up on eBay.

I thought that it was "V.W." for "Volunteer Worker" but I now see that it is "W.W." so think that this could be "War Worker" or "Women Worker".

Hat badge? Blouse badge? Overall badge? Someone trying to be more important than their friends?

[Chipper]

Originally Posted by dumdum

Hi all

Here are three lesser-known OWS badges. The Australian ones turn up on eBay but sellers seem to seek fabulous prices for them.

The smaller one is made by Fattorini and the enamelled example is "W.J.D." for "W.J. Dingley". The hallmarks are either 1916,1917 or 1918 but I would have to check. The "black/white" squares are the Australian "div H.Q." colours for the patches worn on the shoulder.

The N.Z. one is a fairly "rare bird" I think and is bronze with the black enamel.

There is one for sale here right now but it is described as a "mystery badge" and is a little bit "rich" for my liking.

All are "pin backs" suggesting that they were for "female staff" (use this basic logic to identify the "purpose" of your badge!)

Interesting, I have a female headquarters staff one (1917 hallmarked) and have seen one or two of the middle ones, but always at silly prices. Good to see it with he other ones, as I assumed (not sure why...) it was larger than that. Or are there 2 sizes??

As for the WW badge, no reason a factory might not make badges for their workers, outside the official ones, plenty of others did. Nice to see.

Cheers Tim

[dumdum]

Hi Tim

My fatal error with this post was not to indicate a size. I think that the "female HQ" badge is around an inch and a half so you can work out the size of the others from there.

I can check if you think anyone would be interested but I don't think that there would be two versions of this. I think that these badges were for the vast "army" of workers who manually updated files, sent cables, answered letters, etc. Not a trace of an e-mail in those days........

And they didn't make THAT many boos-boos!

We had an outfit called "Base Records" and they even had their own badge (a rare beast these days!). I've seen photos of their offices with desk after desk after desk....

I think that the "W.W." badge is a "one-off" made by someone with a bit of skill and still created to "make a statement".

Had no posts on that round blue/white Munitions badge. Should I post a reward?

Cheers

Ray

[Chipper]

Hey Ray, all good. I do like the Female HQ badges. As for the Munitions badge, got me stumped, I guess just so many unofficial ones about, it might be hard to track down, but worth seeing.

Cheers, Tim

[Chipper]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/R-M-W-W-po...EAAOSws8lZ0Tly

A hallmarked one (?)

Cheers, Tim

Originally Posted by dumdum

Hi Tim

Greatly enjoying our exchanges. Thought you might like to see this wee badge that I've had for years (rescued from an obscure website).

Only got it because of the two crossed shells and had been really racking what few brains I have to work out the letters.

Found the answer quite by chance about a year or so back in a book picked up from eBay.

There is another slightly damaged one on the 'Net that has been listed for months but they don't know what the letters stand for AND they've read them in the wrong order...

Answers in my next post!

[Charliedog012012]

Wow! Interesting badge. Never seen that one before.
Possibly Turner & Simpson Silversmiths

[dumdum]

Hi Tim (and others)

I had my one for a few years before I worked it out. There is one on eBay that is hallmarked (mine isn't) but they've STILL got the initials in the wrong order.

[Chipper]

Thanks CharlieDog.

Ray, any hints??

Cheers, Tim