Artists Rifles

[Top Buzzer]

Could I get a second opinion on this badge. Made of brass.

Thanks in advance
Mike

[Luke H]

It’s a fake.

[cbuehler]

Unfortunately a phony as mentioned. I believe there is an epithet for these particular pair.
I myself have an unmentionable epithet for any Artists badge

CB

[Home Guard]

Luke, is it the straight nose that is the first give away. This is a unit i like and at some point may add to the few badges I have, which I believe are all fakes. But all I know to check for sure is if the nose is s straight line.

Thanks,

Terry

[Top Buzzer]

Thanks for your valued opinions.

Its a nice badge to have....love the design of it.....pity it is fake. To a novice like myself it looks like an old used badge.

Regards

Mike

[dumdum]

I have a WW1 badge that belonged to an "aunt's" husband (2740 Pte Winsford PEARSE). I've posted about him before and got some very informative replies at the time.

His badge and medals came to me in a Princess Mary tin.

I'll post a photo of the contents as I see that there is a single subdued "ARTISTS" cloth shoulder title plus two cap badges (ARTISTS and ARTISTS RIFLES). No apostrophe on either!

Actually, does anyone have anything else to add about him? I was told that he was wounded when struck on the helmet by a shell fragment so did he get an SWB? If he did, I don't have it!

[Fatherofthree]

Shown as Winisford Pearse on MIC and service/medal rolls.

Probably born in Winsford in Somerset, shown as being an Artist/painter.

In 1914 he was living at 24, Ballingham Mansions, Church Street, Kensington.

Aged 33, he enlisted into 28th London, on 15.9.14 as Private 2710, went to France 7.12.14 and stayed until 11.11.18. Number later changed to 760296

Nothing found to show he was entitled to the SWB

Entitled to 1915 Star and pair.

Regards.

Brian

[Fatherofthree]

A little bit more for you:

His mother was Lucy, he had a sister, Ethel and his Father, Henry, was a journalist/war Correspondent.

In 1901 the family were living at 37, Bath Road, Chiswick.

7.11.22 he married Rosemary Wills, in Thornbury in Gloucestershire.

Amongst other places he lived, he was in Wood Hill, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey in 1929 and in 1939 he is shown as being an ARP Warden in Alton in Hampshire.

Regards again.

Brian

[dumdum]

Hi Brian

Many, many thanks for that!

I think that you were the nice person who gave me some info the last time (or maybe it was ANOTHER nice person as it appears to me that the Forum has a large majority who can be put under this classification)!

I'll photograph the grouping and put on the site for you and others to enjoy or comment on.

And yes, that is "Aunt" Rosemary. She'd always said that she would leave me his dented "battle bowler" but I guess that hit the skip when she passed away.

[dumdum]

Hi all

Here is the grouping mentioned in my last posting (I was going to write "last post" but thought that had a slightly glum tone!)

Probably nothing terribly unusual here, but I thought that the subdued title was a bit different. When did the cap badge change? OK, I can Google this but much more fun to exchange info with members!

That writing is Aunt Rosemary's writing and with it came a letter detailing her "exchanges" with the Regimental museum when she attempted to get Winsford's medals back to gift to me!

Is the small badge a sweetheart or maybe a post-war association item? It looks to be bronze and not silver and is pin-backed.

[Home Guard]

Very nice DumDum! A favorite regiment, along with the Post Office Rifles.

Terry

[Fatherofthree]

Greetings again Dumdum.

You're very welcome; unfortunately not all records have as much information as there was for Winsford, many didn't survive the WW2 bombing.

Very pleased to see the two cap badges together, (especially both being lugged) which is some indication of which of the two badges came first.

A fabulous grouping of his badges and medals.

Re the small badge; difficult to asses from the front only, but could be either a sweetheart or equally an OCA.

Regards.

Brian

[dumdum]

Hi Brian

Well, I'm really grateful to anyone who provides info on my hobby and especially as these are a "family" group.

I'll take a better photo of the small badge. Chances are that it's an early OCA as if Winsford married in 1922, he wouldn't have necessarily had a sweetheart to wear the badge but who knows?

The badge is bronze and, from what little I know about this field, most of these badges tend to be silver or gold.

Any comment on the single shoulder title? Shame that there's not a pair and yet he kept his service chevrons and his Lance/Cpl stripes!

Wonder what sort of painting he did. Must see if antique Roadshow turns up with something!

Yes, I'm told that the records that have survived are call the "BR" series for "Burnt Records". Also the AFS fire fighters did more damage to the records than the Luftwaffe!

[bess55]

Gents, opinions on the attached please.

The cap badge I suspect is a copy (albeit a nice badge unfortunately), however I like the collars.