BLESMA
 

Here are some of the British Limbless Ex Service Men’s Association (BLESMA) badges in my collection, I’d be interested to know if there are any more types or variations out there.

Hi

I think that I have an [B][I]"HONORARY" that I'd be pleased to share a picture of with you. I think that it is chromed and a pin-back so maybe a later piece. It may have "MEMBER" after the HONORARY bit however I'd have to check!

Your one with the red enamel intrigues but is the text any different to the normal one?

Sorry! Just seen that you already have this one!:o

One on eBay similar to yours but described as 1960's.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/113724246186

Many thanks. Yes, I would think that it is the right period for this. Sorry that I can't add to your photos.

If you are interested in this field have a look at the Australian "Limbless Soldier's Association". A great range of badges here.

They also have the Totally & Permanently Incapacitated association, known as the T.P.I.. You can get some later (1950s-60s) badges for a few quid.

Hi

Do you know who wore the Red and the Blue versions of the BLESMA badges illustrated? Also, when?

I will attach the badge of LESMA below here. It predates BLESMA. BLESMA's site has this to say:

"Lesma is formed

During the 1920s limbless men gathered together to discuss their problems and to support each other. A group of such men in the Glasgow area banded together to form the first branch of the Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association."

The word British was added, to make BLESMA, in 1932,

Really nice example of the 1914 - 1918 badge in your collection.

Hi

Any chance of a pic of the reverse or even just say which firm knocked it out?

Sorry, I can't do that.

What I posted is a scan, not a photo. I tried scanning the back but the "horseshoe" that fits into the button hole on the lapel gets in the way.

The maker is:

Fattorini and Sons Ltd
Bradford House
Birmingham

Photo of original Glasgow Branch on BLESMA website (can't post it here due to copyright).

BLESMA

Yes, I saw that. The quote I gave is from just above the photo.

I was trying to work out what the white design at the bottom of the badge is. Any ideas?

No idea :confused:

The 3 examples (your badge , wreath in photo and from constitution) all appear slightly different and there is no sign of the design on the later official crest/badge.

Hi

Thanks for your various replies. Yes, I know the problem of scanning badges reverses but thanks for trying.

You've answered my question in any event. That address for Fattorini will help date the badge. I once had a really great handout on badge makers and the back stamps with a vague "dating" for them but it is no doubt carefully put away. So carefully that I can't now find it.....

I suspect that the white "symbol" is maybe just the idea of laurel leaves (a la Caesar... a symbol of honour and distinction) tied together.

I once had a little handmade enameled women's suffrage badge that had the same laurel wreath with a white ribbon linking the two halves of the wreath.

If you want to go deeper, white is considered the colour of purity.

Thoughts?

One reason I wasn't sure about the "ribbon" was that the photo of the Branch shows a laurel wreath with the 'insignia' inside , why not just use an actual ribbon ?

The later BLESMA badge and crest have a sun with "four crutch-heads" to " represent limbless service personnel from the four services united in the Association".

My first imperssion when seeing the Branch photo was that it could 'possibly' be meant to represent a chair with crutches/walking sticks for handles ?

Early WW1 era wheelchairs were basically standard 4 leg chairs with side wheels attached.

Four services (4 legs) crutches/walking sticks (disabilities) ??? :confused:

Hi Mike

You may well have a point there. I had a friend who worked for a badge maker and he said that sometimes the most carefully made enameled badge could be utterly ruined by the overstoning of the the enamel! It often made it hard to work out what was what....

I'm still going with a ribbon for this badge as it would make sense to join the laurels with this. Yes, the later rationale of the four crutch heads makes sense.

These days, we've got little appreciation for how labour intensive the making of these little bits of metal and enamel were.

If I get the chance, I'll take some photos of the badges that I have for Australia.