Home Guard Badges

[paj1]

hi folks
i have just posted my collection of home guard badges in all albums section.
if you are after these type of badges. quite a few of the badge dealers
have a "home front" section on their web sites.
if not try the medal and militaria fairs you can usually find somethink .
hope this helps paj1

[wright241]

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

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

[magpie]

Originally Posted by badjez

If anyone is near The National Archives at Kew go and request file
WO199/3257. It is the HG Location Statement for November 1941.
Surprisingly it has exactly the same information as Stand Down. It lists all units to Bn level. If I remember correctly it doesn't mention the weird and wonderful units that people seem to find insignia for.


So far as authorised insignia go the following were the rules until Stand Down.

03.08.40. HG authorised to wear cap badges of County Regt to which affiliated. ACI 1924/40 refers.
---
18.03.41. WO Telegram: Home Guard-All ranks below Full Colonel to wear cap badge of Regt to which they belong. Colonel & above to wear Royal Crest badge.
---
24.04.41. ACI 623: Notification of appropriate badges to be worn by HG officers.
1) Officers will wear the uniform as issued, i.e. battle dress, with the badges of their Home Guard rank in worsted material on the battle dress and in gilt metal on the greatcoat. The drab field service cap will be worn.
Officer of the rank of Colonel and upwards may wear scarlet gorget patches on the collar of battle dress as laid down for officers of corresponding rank in the Regular Army. The drab field service cap as issued may be worn, or alternatively the coloured field service cap with the Royal Crest badge. The coloured field service cap and badge, if worn, cannot be supplied at public expense.
2) All ranks below that of full colonel will wear the cap badge of the
regiment of the county to which they belong unless otherwise authorised by the War Office.
3) No other uniform or badge will be permitted.
---
I cannot lay my hands on it now, but there were instructions that HG officers were NOT permttted to wear the Officers' Service Dress bronze badges.

Stephen.

Hi stephen .
Here is my buckinghamshire battalion badge,it belonged to the captain of
BUX6 if i remember correctly, the badge appears to have never been painted black.
Andy.

[badjez]

Hi Andy,

Nice looking Bucks badge. Knowing next to nothing about Bux HG I couldn't comment on whether they adopted the regimental 'blacking' of their badges.

Regards, Stephen.

PS- did you have any joy scanning the photo?

[magpie]

Sent it on the 7th, not been returned as unsent to me.
Andy.

[41st]

Here's my earlier pattern Radnor H G example still on the side cap. No other badge has ever been on this fully marked 2nd War cap and the badge has lugs not a shank (slider).

[Peter Brydon]

Following the old adage that rules are for the guidance of wise etc, I have posted this snippet of information on the Forum in the past.

The late Tim Ashley, a well known collector of Kings Liverpool items had in his collection a Home Guard khaki field service cap with a bi metal Kings Regiment cap badge that had been painted with a browny/bronze paint on the owner being commissioned.Tim acquired the item from the officer himself.

So despite any instruction that Home Guard officers were not to wear OSD bronze badges, there were exceptions.



P.B.

[2747andy]

A recent Ebay acquistion, rather rough and crudly cast (possibly on a V.A. site?), in what looks like a brass alloy? Measures N-S 39 mm by E-W 25 mm.

Having never seen one in the flesh before I would not like to cast (no pun intended) a verdict on this one, although even if a copy it's a nice gap filler for what is a pretty scarce badge! Does anyone have a better made example?

Andy

[wright241]

Originally Posted by 2747andy

A recent Ebay acquistion, rather rough and crudly cast (possibly on a V.A. site?), in what looks like a brass alloy? Measures N-S 39 mm by E-W 25 mm.

Having never seen one in the flesh before I would not like to cast (no pun intended) a verdic on this one, although even if a copy it's a nice gap filler for what is a pretty scarce badge! Does anyone have a better made example?

Andy

Andy, Yours looks exactly the same as the one I owned and was sold (i.e. not returned to me as a fake or described in their catalog as anything other than a 'Vickers' version!!) via Wallis&Wallis in the early 90's. I do have a HMS silver version 'somewhere.........' and will post pictures 'when I find it'.
I always thought mine might have been a fake due to the finish etc, but it turned out to be a 'good un'.
Rgds, David

[2747andy]

David,
thanks for that info, sounds as if I may not have a "Gap Filler"? Could you disclose what you paid for it? (PM will do!).

Many thanks

Andy

[Graham Stewart]

Originally Posted by badjez

If anyone is near The National Archives at Kew go and request file
WO199/3257. It is the HG Location Statement for November 1941.
Surprisingly it has exactly the same information as Stand Down. It lists all units to Bn level. If I remember correctly it doesn't mention the weird and wonderful units that people seem to find insignia for.


So far as authorised insignia go the following were the rules until Stand Down.

03.08.40. HG authorised to wear cap badges of County Regt to which affiliated. ACI 1924/40 refers.
---
18.03.41. WO Telegram: Home Guard-All ranks below Full Colonel to wear cap badge of Regt to which they belong. Colonel & above to wear Royal Crest badge.
---
24.04.41. ACI 623: Notification of appropriate badges to be worn by HG officers.
1) Officers will wear the uniform as issued, i.e. battle dress, with the badges of their Home Guard rank in worsted material on the battle dress and in gilt metal on the greatcoat. The drab field service cap will be worn.
Officer of the rank of Colonel and upwards may wear scarlet gorget patches on the collar of battle dress as laid down for officers of corresponding rank in the Regular Army. The drab field service cap as issued may be worn, or alternatively the coloured field service cap with the Royal Crest badge. The coloured field service cap and badge, if worn, cannot be supplied at public expense.
2) All ranks below that of full colonel will wear the cap badge of the
regiment of the county to which they belong unless otherwise authorised by the War Office.
3) No other uniform or badge will be permitted.
---
I cannot lay my hands on it now, but there were instructions that HG officers were NOT permttted to wear the Officers' Service Dress bronze badges.

Stephen.

In line with this Instruction is my officers BD blouse belonging to Major J.M.S. Coates, O.B.E., 5th(Gosforth)Bn, Northumberland Home Guard(Scroll down to view);-
http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/25.../page__st__280

[Peter Brydon]

Graham,

Some great uniforms in the link, isnt it frustrating when insignia has been removed from old uniforms particularly when they are otherwise in good condition.

I remember a Colour Sgts full dress tunic of the Lpool Scottish in an Antique shop in Southport many years ago, I didnt buy it because the collar badges had been removed and I didnt think I would be able to replace them. I still kick myself when I think what I missed.

P.B.

[NEMO]

" You might like to take a look at my book "In the Space of A Single Day - Uniforms and insignia of the LDV and Home Guard 1940-1944 and 1952-1956."


Jon Mills book is an absolute must for any one interested in Home Guard Insignia - full colour pictures of original items many of them rare ` one offs `

just out of interest ,some where in my stuff I have a period photo of a Home Guard unit and one of the group is wearing the MACHINE GUN CORPS cap badge , he is a great war veteran as his medal ribbons can be seen ........
so I presume ...........? HG unit weapons instructor ??

regards Michael

[Graham Stewart]

Originally Posted by 8thfoot

Graham,

Some great uniforms in the link, isnt it frustrating when insignia has been removed from old uniforms particularly when they are otherwise in good condition.

I remember a Colour Sgts full dress tunic of the Lpool Scottish in an Antique shop in Southport many years ago, I didnt buy it because the collar badges had been removed and I didnt think I would be able to replace them. I still kick myself when I think what I missed.

P.B.

So far I've been very lucky in that all of my officers uniforms for the NF/RNF have almost been complete, whereas it's the other ranks ones that seem to come void of insignia.

I've recently obtained two NF Volunteer/TF officers scarlet jackets and both have been complete with their silver & gilt bullion collar badges and as you'll appreciate those are as rare as rocking horse sh*t to get hold of.

[irishhorse]

Some UHG items. The cap badge worn would have been that of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and the UHG (Belfast) river patrol wore the cap badge of the belfast Harbour Police. Other cloth titles were ANTRIM, FERMANAGH, TYRONE, DOWN, L'DERRY CITY and L'DERRY COUNTY, a letter B was worn by members of the RUC B Special Reserve, who were also menbers of the Home Guard. Post war titles were also produced, and were white on red ARMAGH/1, EAST DOWN/1, WEST DOWN/1, FERMANAGH/1, CITY OF LONDONDERRY/1, LONDONDERRY/1, TYRONE/1, SOUTH ANTRIM/1.