Returning Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen
 

Any ideas for whom this badge was for? What would I expect to pay for this also, may have gotten carried away to acquire it!

Many thanks Billy

Formed in 1916 the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League of Australia changed its name in 1940 to Returned Sailors', Soldiers' and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia which changed its name in 1966 to Returned Services League of Australia.

The League evolved out of concern for the welfare of returned servicemen from the First World War.

Have seen them going for anything from £8.00 - £50.00

Lots on eBay :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...diers&_sacat=0

Thanjs Mike, added Airmen by mistake as well! Cheers billy

hi billy
its very common and probably sell for around £10.00 - £20.00
yours is the first pattern, army/navy. it changed later in the war to include airmen.
as far as I'm aware, the numbers are not able to be traced to a recipient.
I got your email and will reply shortly
bc

The early ones without the airman are scarcer than the later ones which were worn for many years. There is also a much larger sized one with two figures which I understand was the very first pattern. These are worth a lot more.

Hello all,

Firstly the "RSL" as it is universally known, is an association for ex-service personnel, like the British Legion, the badge is not a Returned from Active Service badge, Australia also had one of these that was in die stamped brass with a Kings crown on top.

The RSL was formed in 1916 for men returning from service on Gallipoli. The first badge had the title Returned Sailors & Soldiers Imperial League around a blue circle and the word Australia on a red scroll below, however there is always an exception and Forum Member Jimbo Dixon has one with a blue scroll. This badge has a sailor and a soldier on it, the first issues were 40mm high and 30mm wide.

I have 2 of these, one made by Stokes and Son, Melbourne numbered 35904 and it has something stamped on the back which I cant read and has a plain crown. The second is manufactured by W Bishop and it is numbered B7306 and it is stamped Copyright. This one is a much more golden looking brass and has red enamel in the crown.

Subsequently a second smaller badge was issued, also with 2 men on it, at this time the Australian Flying Corps was part of the Army. The RAAF was not formed until the 1920's. I have 2 of this badge one is 24 and the other 26mm high. These can be found with a plain crown and others have a number on the crown and the colour of the back ground changes, this was to show that you had paid your membership subscription for that year. One of these has 2 lugs and the other has a half moon type fixing to go into the button hole in the lapel on a mans jacket. One is numbered A34668 and the other is numbered V12691.The first has no makers name and the 2nd is marked copyright and has a name that I can not read.

The next badge now has 3 marching men and the title includes Airmens and the red scroll now has Imperial League Australia on it. The one that I have has a year clip for 1948, it is numbered 781518 and is made by Amor, Sydney.

As this is numbered 25576 is there any way of tracings the owner? Looks a low number do assume hecwas of an early draft?

All the best billy

Hi Billy

From the look of it yours appears to be of the first large sized issue, (please confirm), the number in the 25000 series appears to be a low number but as far as I know there is no index of which badge was issued to any given returned service man.

Badge Collector in his post No 4 above indicates that there is no list.

There are subsequent issues with 3 marching men, also with a change to the Queens Crown, the change of title to Returned and Services League and also with a 4th marching female figure being added.

Collecting RSL badges is a whole new area of collecting.

I hope that this helps.

Regards

Phil.

About a year ago a friend published the first-ever book on Australian civilian buttons.
One of them was a silver anodised button (therefore post-war) with a rope border and intertwined "RSL" letters, made by Swann & Hudson. He put it in the unidentified section of the book and resisted the temptation to call it Returned Services League, who as far as is know never had its own uniformed staff.