Quote:
Originally Posted by RAChD
Hello there;
1 of the badges missing from the reference book photo is the rare badge for the Vickers Armstrong Home Guard Factory units. Being such a large concern Vickers had many of their factory sites with their own guard patrols and also light anti aircraft units manned by Home Guards of their own staff. because of the secret war work they were often doing this was an ideal way for firms to suppliment the guard on their own factories.
There are several badges known from such units - including Morris Motors variant of their own local battalion badge.
All Home Guard units were authorised by Army Command Instructions to adopt the badge of their county regiment. Some local shuffling of affiliations was permitted but although many units petitioned the war office for certain badges the ONLY factory unit authorised by the War Office to wear a badge of their own design was Vickers. I believe this is partly because they were very early to apply for permission and also because they had sites all over the UK. All other units permissions were officially turned down. Any others therefore were unofficial or quasi official where senior staff effectively turned a blind eye. Vickers produced a cap badge in brass and also in worsted cloth. Opinion on the cloth badge I have heard from collectors and also seen in In the Space of a Single Day [how hard is this book to get!!] made me believe it was in place of the normal printed HG unit designation. However, contact with the family of a Vickers HG veteran whom have some of his old uniform suggests otherwise. They are in possession of his FS cap which has this brownish coloured cloth badge sewn on as a cap badge. Maybe they stopped making them in brass because this was cheaper?
Just thought I would add this info for your interest.
I have found my pic files but the one I have of the VA brass badge is the one the seller sent to me, a bit small but attached anyway.
Regards
Matt
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Matt, Nice badge. I used to have one (it might even still be in one of my T chests....) that showed all the appeaarance of being cast. Some numbskull (probably jealous) even suggested it was from Victoria & Albert museum.......
I also have a HMS one somewhere but its got the ARP rather than 1st Batt.
Keep up the good work, david