Badge polishing ...

[Bill A]

It has been suggested that the practice of polishing cap badges was initiated during the Second World War, in part, to instill pride, to keep idle hands busy and to foster discipline. Was not the practice of polishing badges well established long before?

[ubervamp]

"Soldiers Friend" cleaning paste, which predates Brasso, was used in WW1 for polishing buttons. I would presume cap badges too?

Colin

[2747andy]

I've Victorian badges that have been lovingly polished too, I think this one might just be an old wives tale?

Best regards

Andy

[Peter Brydon]

I agree with the previous posts BUT it always surprises me that so few military badges do show signs of having been polished, other than those dodgy items where some of the less scrupulous dealers think that loads of dried on polish on the rear of the badge somehow gives a provenance to the item.

P.B.

[jeep]

Well, here is my REME badge that I cleaned and wore with beret from c1966 until 1986; even as a WO1. When I joined the Corps I was issued with a King's crown badge, but happened upon this QC shortly after, and wore it from that day on. The poor horse has lost a leg!

[Charlie585]

Here's an example of a well polished badge that certainly goes against the suggestion that the practice didn't come about until WW2.

I would accept though that there may well have been a unit or units that the suggestion may apply to but on a wider scale I would have thought that polishing was certainly the done thing long before this.

Ry

[Tanker Mike]

Here is a FGH badge really polished up, the maple leaf would usually have veins, as seen on the reverse. Someone wanted to impress the CSM.

[Phillip Herring]

RAF and RCAF cap badges often show up with all of the detail worn away.
Somebody once told me that airmen filed them down to make polishing easier.
According to the first WO I worked for, contrary to popular belief, the old RCAF were sticklers for spit and polish.

Phil

[GriffMJ]

My favourite .....in my post 1939 (1939-57) LYPAO collection. Polished up its really smart...



This one is a pre 1939 (1928-39)...... but worn by a Gunner in the 154th FR RA during WW2 ....he was a Trooper in the LYPAO Cavalry Regiment and the badge carried over.


This one is pre 1928 (1922-28)..... and is polished.

[ddaydodger]

We all know that badges are polished, but were does it say that badges are to be highly polished? Or was it just a custom that has been around for decades and then formally adopted around WW2? Does any one have manuals or orders stating that badges are to shine?

[Tanker Mike]

My experience in the army is that the guy who is yelling at you while on the parade sqaure tells you to polish it.

[GregN]

Some regiments selectively polished parts of their badges. Attached is a link to an early British Columbia Dragoons ORs badge where only the maple leaf has been polished. I have seen this with the later WW2 era badge. I've often thought specific companies did this to separate themselves for other companies within the regiment.

Polishing also established those who were old sweats from the new recruits so perhaps in the case of my early BCDs badge a pre-war trooper from a war-time trooper?

An old RCAF vet mentioned to me that while in England those who had flown missions used to place their badges on the end of broom sticks and slap them with their hands to vault the cypher. I don't recall him mentioning special polishing but the goal of the vaulting was to separate yourself from the newbies.

Greg

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ictureid=18427