South Lancashire blank plinth
 

Hi All,
Here is a badge for your comments. Faint signs of previous slider attachment.
No sign of any blacking so wondering if this was an Economy issue.
Thanks, John

It’s a genuine badge from the Lambourne die.

As to the finish... I’ve only seen 3 others, including one at the Bosley’s auction before last. All were blackened, however one of these was covered modern gloss paint so it’s hard to say what original finish was and if this was a poor restoration attempt or a new finish based on an assumption.

From the photo there appear to be richer tones on the less rubbed surfaces. Would this appear to you in the flesh to be a factory finish? If so I think that is your answer here and more indicative of the badge merely showing no signs of blacking which if chemicals were used to strip it would similarly not leave a trace.

Mega shame about the slider. A badge I would dearly like to own.

Thanks for your valued comments, Luke. Yes, I think the badge is a factory finish and never had any blacking.
Cheers, John

From the photos I would concur.

I fear you may have just doubled my remaining 1916 all GM wants list to two badges. Alas another to look out for in addition to the Northants TF.

Extra pics for Luke
 

Hi Luke,
I hope these are of use.
Cheers,
John

If it was all GM without any blackening and blank plinth, it would be the 4th S Lancs.
In April 1916 - the WO ordered 4,000 of them




(the 5th Bn was all GM but blackening)

I suspect the 4th, 5th and any later Volunteer Battalions were all given the same brass badge, No doubt the 5th Battalion may have blackened them.

Cheers mate.

Thought I’d throw this new arrival into the mix.

Whilst not Lambourne made it is in my belief from a die that has been ‘hobbed’ by the manufacturer to erase the tablet in order to produce TF badges.

Member Neiblungen has made some very insightful posts on this process.

My badge is from the same die as this lovely WM example recently sold by Geoff https://www.gnmilitaria.co.uk/viewph...h=23894&phqu=2 . Again it shows the same ghost of Egypt and has no reverse impression on the tablet.

For me the questions is, is this an all GM 1916 TF South Lancs or a BB badge which has lost its finish or did the TF Battalions ever wear an all GM badge before/after WW1?

There were a limited number of TF badges authorised in all brass in 1916 for a few months before the TF were granted the Regular titles at the end of 1916.

The 1918 Volunteer Battalions (former VTC) were to wear blank scroll badges but not all had adopted the badges before the end of the war and I don't know if any South Lancs VB's wore these or were still wearing the Royal arms badges in 1918.

Thanks Alan, very interesting information about the 1918 Volunteer Battalions badges and it’s an interesting possibility.

Lambourne are of course listed in the Board of Trade Labour Gazette 1914-1919 with records showing they were awarded WO badge contracts in April 1916 so the order Julian unearthed of 4,000 TF S. Lancs badges in all GM could well be amongst that.

Might there have been more than one manufacturer for that 4,000 order, potentially via subcontracting? I wonder.

Certainly it sounds like subsequent orders were placed by the Volunteer Battalions quite possibly with a different manufacturer. It would be interesting to see a photo but I imagine that would be scarcer than the badges themselves.

Either way by hook or crook I’ve fill a gap for now until there’s something definite comes to light or I happen upon a Lambourne badge.

http://www.ww1photos.org/photo/g1114...lawrence-augu/

The 5th Bn in 1916 with the cap badge in black.

Interesting photo and odd. Note that some have blackened, or perhaps leather?, buttons along with upper pockets with and without the center pleat.

CB

A very interesting photo. Thank you.

Two men (bottom row middle) wear what looks like BM badges, a few certainly look BB but several appear potentially GM in my opinion.

The date, August 1916, would seem to make GM possible.

As CB notes with the buttons, quite a mishmash.

The issued buttons were brass but it was not unusual for black buttons to be bought and replaced by the Rifle regiments. Not a universal thing.