Quote:
Originally Posted by dumdum
I'd always been told that it was for reasons of economy but the Volunteer Munitions Worker badge was produced in enameled (a curious orangey red hue...) and plain brass.
IWM website has a bit of an explanation of the differences and both my enameled Volunteer Worker's badges have, I think, 3 or 4 digit numbers.
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The 'War Munition Volunteer' badge (often referred to as the 'Enrolment' badge) was issued from December 1914 onwards. It was given to workers who had volunteered/enrolled to work in the factories but were awaiting placement.
They were originally issued enamelled, but then soon changed to all GM.
The IWM states :
"This type of
enamel badge was exchanged for the gilt badge when a War Munition Volunteer was actually allocated to the work for which he had volunteered."
I think this is misleading/wrong as a couple of articles I've read both say that the change from enamel to GM/Gilt was an economy measure due to the increasing number of badges required. They also say that the WMV badge was exchanged for the oval brass 1915 OWS badge when the worker took up their job.
Regarding numbers , I think the WMV badges would have been strictly controlled (who each badge was allocated to etc) and the fact that they were exchanged for an OWS 1915 badge when the 'volunteer'
started work would mean they could be
reissued to another 'volunteer' (same numbered badge , so low numbers).
The OWS 1915 badges were supposed to be returned when the worker
left or was
no longer doing the job they were employed for , so many would have been held on to as keepsakes/souvenirs.