London Ambulance Service
 

Thanks to a friend I have filled in the gaps in my official London Ambulance Service pin set but ....... I'm still looking for the one from 2009 ! An ambulance worker first designed and started to sell poppy badges to colleagues in 2009 but I think that intial one was "unofficial" and it was the next year (2010) that LAS gave their permission for them to be worn. The 2019 pin was the 10th official pin.

So , that's another two off my "wanted list" but for some reason it never gets any shorter ! :D

.

Another fake !
 

A 2010 poppy pin has started to appear on eBay , it has the leaf on the correct side for 2010 but is the wrong size (see photo 1 which shows it compared to genuine one) . It also has the CaringPlus back mark which is found on some genuine double dated pins (and the questionable double dated 11-13 ones) but has not the correct finish (see photo 2).

I would guess that someone has sent a genuine CaringPlus pin and this fake is what has been produced.

.

I have heard from other people that the Falklands Pin they have received from PoppyShop have the full inscription on the rear (2 April - 14 June 1982 LEST WE FORGET) rather than the basic (1982 - 2022) shown on the web site.

I was hoping to hear back from them after I posted a review/feedback but so far nothing.

.

Thanks to Mike V I also now have the LAS 75th VE/VJ anniversary pin and Light Blue Manchester Bee so 2 more for my display board, but as Mike says the list never gets any shorter.

The 2 Falklands Pins I have from the Poppy Shop are also the LEST WE FORGET with map, not the simple dated one which I am now looking for. I have an order for an extra 2 in process, so I wonder which one I will get?

I ordered 2 initially but am now hanging on to see which ones the PAO's/Branches get so that I can be sure to get the basic one .

Between initially selling the pin , then taking it off the site only to put it back the next day .... plus showing one version but sending the other is really showing up how disorganised and unprofessional whoever is running the PoppyShop website is ! .

EDIT : Just noticed this on PoppyShop page ;
But it still doesn't show the LEST WE FORGET version . :confused:

.

Well Mike. You gave a a suggestion and on ‘the half chance’ I contacted Seaham. This morning ( having given up hope of any reply) a package came through the
Letterbox. Was it worth the wait…….oh yes….see the photos below:

Excellent !

I have had a couple of sucesses with Branches , a polite inquiry costs nothing and even if they can't help with a specific badge they can be very useful contacts for future items. :)

.

.

Spotted this one on eBay , photo wasn't very clear but thought I'd take a chance. Arrived today , more 'painted' than enamel and 1914 -1919. Made in Northern Ireland , so possibly a "branch" item.

NB - Lots of fake early dated poppy pins are appearing on eBay and I don't think they are all coming from China !

.

Isle of Man
 

Been sorting through my albums and managed to get hold of a couple of Isle of Man pins I needed.

Am still looking for a few , a three leg (triskelion) one from 2015 and (what I think was) the first of the motorbike pins they issued in 2014.

.

RBL Riders
 

While checking out the IOM motorbike pins I discovered a couple of photos of motorbike pins that I think were early Riders Branch ones.

1. Last year's excellent Riders Poppy Pin.
2. Previous motorbike/scooter pins sold at Riders Rallies etc.
3. Unusual 2012 dated motorbike with RBL on tank (rider facing opposite direction from normal) , would love to get hold of this one !
4. Possibly pre 2011 pin , leaf at 2 o'clock :confused:

.

Pilgrimage Club
 

Just picked up this nice badge but not sure of when it was produced. Jerry has a similar round version but with RBL Pilgrimages on it and I have a small lapel pin with the same insignia.

It could be an earlier British Legion one ?

I like it and it is a great addition to my collection of "Pilgrimage" items (badges , tickets , itinerary , book etc).

.

Contacted PoppyShop today asking about the two different versions and got this reply :
So it is possible/probable that the one with 1982-2022 on the back was a trial/prototype pin and should not have appeared on the PoppyShop page.

.

PoppyShop have changed the photo of the rear of the Falklands 40 lapel pin to show the one they are actually selling , this is the same one that is being sent out to PAO's/Branches.


.

I have a pin with 'Lest we forget' marked on back from Poppy Shop

The PAO Order Portal shows the date only back as illustrated below

I will be able to confirm next week when I get some as it is possible they also got it wrong!

Mike C

Thanks for the information Mike , I don't think PoppyShop were aware they had the wrong image on their site until I e-mailed them yesterday.

I got an e-mail back within 1 hour asking for photos to show what the difference was and they replied quickly that they had made a mistake. Fair play to them and they changed the photo within 12 hours.

It may be that the PAO Order Portal were also using the wrong photo as I know that one PAO/Branch have just received (via their CFR) the ones with 'Lest We Forget'.

I think it is a shame that PoppyShop started selling 2022 dated pin at the end of January and the Falklands/Jubilee ones weeks before they were available to PAO/Branches .

.