[Milmed]

Hi William,
Thanks for starting this thread on the SAMNS WWI badges. I have been meaning to do a thread on these as this is my primary collecting field, but just have not got round to it. Secondary interests would be SAMC/SAMS and then commonwealth medical, dental and nursing insignia.

I have not seen the badge you are quering before. I have thus far been sceptical as to the validity of brass SAMNS badges. My feelings is that all the WWI SAMNS badges should be silver. Even the second world war badges were silver up until c. 1944 when the SAMNS were issued with white metal cap and collar badges. The WWII cap badges had a brooch pin and the collars were lugged with the springboks facing each other. These were worn until 1953 when they were replaced with gilt cap and collars of the same design. The SAMNS was a voluntary service but became a permanant force unit of the UDF in October 1950. From documents I have seen the Gilt badges were first recorded by the quartermaster stores in 1953.

But back to the WWI badges. I am aware of 5 variations of the silver badge and two variations of brass badges. The brass ones appear to be castings of original silver badges. The 5 variations I have classified as follows based on the symbol seen between the words 'SOUTH' and 'SERVICE' at the bottom of the badge(see attached pictures):
Type 1. Silver hallmarked London 1915 with a 'pattee cross' symbol
Type 2. Silver not marked with a 'Fleur-de-lys' symbol
Type 3. Silver not marked with a 'East African cross' symbol
Type 4. Silver hallmarked London 1918 with a 'plus' symbol
Type 5. Silver stamped "SILVER" with a 'square box' symbol. This badge is larger than the others and more crudely made with letters typical of old woodblock engravings.

The brass versions I have seen are copies of types 3 and 4. These brass versions I have seen with brooch fittings as well as crudely soldered copper lugs with no indication of a brooch ever having been fitted. I have made an unfounded assumption that these brass badges may have been copies produced for the collectors market, but I stand to be corrected. It is very possible that they may have been produced in East Africa as most of them seen are of the type with the East African cross.

I have documented reference (that I cannot place at present) that the SAMNS were issued with two bronze springbok badges prior to departure for UK in September 1915. These I believe were standard officers "Union is Strength - Eendracht Macht Maagt" badges. These original contingent nurses were issued with Type 1 badges prior to leaving the UK for France. It has been said that these badges were all named to the specific nurse, but I have not seen evidence of this yet. I believe the Type 2 (Fleur-de-lys) badges were issued in France and Type 3 were issued in East Africa. Type 4 may have been a privately purchased replacement badge as it has a 1918 hallmark and made by silversmith Murrle Bennet & Company. Lastly Type 5 may have been manufactured locally and possibly post WWI era.

From photographic evidence nurses in the GSWA campaign and the original contingent can be seen without any badges prior to departure for UK. Photographs taken in UK, France and in the Union post 1916 all show nurses with the silver (or possibly brass) cape badge.

As for your badge it may possibly be an unknown incompleted variation or anouther copy that was not completed or even a commemorative medallion.

Regards
Steven