1st FM COMMANDO BADGE
 

Can anyone tell me about the date of this badge. I know that the WW2 ones were numbered. The quality of this badge is very good and is marked on the back MADE IN ENGLAND.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...psgmzwglad.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps21hg8fhu.jpg

...a modern fake...a modern copy...

Jo

I THINK this is one of those struck for the filming of the Longest Day. From the front at least it's as close to an original as you'll get without spending the price of a small car!

Several souvenir issues of this badge have been issued, Paul is correct in suggesting this could be a film prop for 'The Longest Day'. Other patterns exist, some in the form of 'Souvenir' badges. One variant is impressed JR Gaunt. Another has a star in place of the anchor to the right hand side scroll.
Beware as the desirability of this badge has resulted in heavy faking - some fairly obvious fortunately. Fake numbering is particularly deceptive and should perhaps result in prosecution as a deliberate intention to defraud and deceive!

Mike

......one thing to remember,the unit landed with 177 officers and or's and they had received one and only one cap badge, made by gaunt....even counting a very very small over run in making the badges,that's less than 200 badges made and numbered in 1944....I've read that each FM Commando when receiving his badge had the number on the back,registered to him............

Jo

Jo

A fairly comprehensive but incomplete list of issues is to be found in 'Commando Kieffer' by Eric Le Penven. Some duplicate and in fact triplicate issues were made. A more complete but confidential list does exist, there were a few more badges issued than you suggest, but still an extremely rare and desirable badge.

Commando Kieffer is written in French, but remains a highly valued source even though, for me, translation takes time.

Mike

Hello,

I can confirm that the badge shown is known to have been made for the film The Longest Day. I remember an article of Maurice Chauvet (Commando, designer of the badge) in the French navy magazine "Col Bleu" in 1974.

I have seen 3 variants of this production "Made in England" : 2 with lugs in brass and white metal. And one in brass with sliders.

The original production by JR Gaunt : 400 ex delivered in april 44.

The full list of badge attribution has been published. It shows that if most of commandos have had only one badge, some of them have been issued 2 or 3 ... lost or given to a girlfriend ?

Best regards .. Herve

Thanks Herve
Do you know if these Longest Day badges were Gaunt made from the original dies? From the front at least, they look verbatim to the originals, unlike the other commemorative/copies which vary quite a bit.
Thanks
Paul

Hello Paul,

No certainties about the maker but you are right, perhaps made by Gaunt, as it is the best front design ever made.
Mr Chauvet says the order of this "re-edition" was 600 pieces but nothing about various models.

Best regards .. Herve

1er BFMC
 

I have one like this call «* Choco «* about maroon color
One serious collector says this badge has been made end 44 by GAUNT and never worn.

No such thing ever existed. When the unit was disbanded in July 1945, about 60 of the original badges were not attributed. Most of them were given to various dignitaries. So the need for an additional batch of insignias was not necessary.
The front design of this replica (‘made in England’ type) is very similar to the original (the back is totally different). The brown color is likely another variant of this replica which could have been produced by Gaunt, the original maker.

Fully agree that these were not produced during the war. However wouldn't say the front is similar I would say it is identical.

Paul, ”identical” would mean Gaunt was the maker of these replicas which hasn’t been prooven yet. But I agree with you it is possible.

It means it is 'identical'.
I don't know who made it or when though, other than it was in England. As the original badge was manufactured so differently (i.e. was cast not die struck), I'm not sure if die struck badges could even be made from the original 'mould'.
I'm sure any badge manufacture could produce an identical badge though, as long as they had access to an original.

F M Commando Badge
 

Is anyone able to confirm the validity of my badge? From reading the thread it appears to have been widely copied.

This particular one was given to me by my Grandfather many, many years ago. I was told he swapped while serving in WW11. The issue number on the back is 116. If original (I'm fairly sure it is) I'd love to know who the original recipient was and how he faired.

Thank you.