What was "special service"?

[dumdum]

Can anyone shed light on the "special service" term used on some OWS badges?

I know that I've posted this pic before but I've always wanted to understand what the term might have meant. Did it mean a worker who was specially skilled or engaged on a special project?

The Leyland badge uses "S.S" and I guess that this stands for the same.

The badges are mostly WW1 I believe but that stray WW2 railway badge seems to have made its way into the group....

Cheers and thanks in advance!

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by dumdum

Did it mean a worker who was specially skilled or engaged on a special project?

I think that initially the term implied that the worker was a "specialist" who was trained/skilled/qualified. The "Coventry Ordnance Works" badge has "Special War Service" on it but I don't know if all the workers wore it ? Were the cleaners/labourers given the same status as the machinists etc.

When the "official" badges were introduced they were :

not meant to be issued to everyone who was working in a factory, but only those workers who were regarded as highly skilled and indispensable for the war effort, although in practice they were often given semi-skilled and even unskilled men.

The term "Special Service" was also used by the Red Cross/VAD :

Special service
As the war went on, duties increased and regulations relaxed as the demand for personnel grew. In February 1915 the War Office proposed that new system of “special service” was introduced to supply nursing members to Military Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) hospitals.

About 6 month later as more men went off to fight more staff were required and "general service" staff were recruited.

In addition to these “special service” nurses, a “general service” section of the VADs was established in September 1915. As men went off to fight, VADs were supplied in their place, carrying out their duties and working in civic positions such as dispensers, clerks, cooks, and storekeeper

.

[dumdum]

Hi Mike

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I'd forgotten about the good old Coventry Ordnance badge. I don't think I've ever seen one that wasn't a "special service" badge so maybe it was a bit of a morale booster!

It would be interesting to see if anyone has a Leyland badge without the "S.S" mark.

That other crowned "Special Service" badge I've seen before but it does have a slightly generic look to it, much like all those hopelessly vague "On His Majesty's Work" badges that seem to exist in profusion...

I wonder what fibs they used to tell when asked what they were doing?

[popskipa]

It may also be worth remembering these badges were worn to show the wearer was going his/her bit for the war effort.
A white feather, denoting a coward, could have been given to a man not in military uniform the badge showed the wearer was not shirking his duty and was an essential war worker.
In my opinion the term Special Service was used to signify the work was essential but not necessarily secret, unique or particularly skilled.

[Charliedog012012]

Originally Posted by popskipa

It may also be worth remembering these badges were worn to show the wearer was going his/her bit for the war effort.
A white feather, denoting a coward, could have been given to a man not in military uniform the badge showed the wearer was not shirking his duty and was an essential war worker.
In my opinion the term Special Service was used to signify the work was essential but not necessarily secret, unique or particularly skilled.

I can see a great deal of sense in your application of the term ‘special’ to indicate that the work was both significant and essential. It would also perhaps be useful to assume that manufacturers of ‘On War Service’ badges would have a basic design and would customise a badge to a customers requirement. So terms such as ‘Public Service’ , ‘War Work’ , OHMS’ etc should not be taken too literally.

[dumdum]

Hi folks

Much appreciate your replies and it is always good to hear the thoughts of others.

I think that the OWS badge field must have been a very lucrative one for the firms that made them!

James, your point about standard designs is a good one: those Fattorini badges that have the detachable "tablet" in the centre was obviously one of those standard lines.

Oddly enough, it wasn't until I'd gathered up a few of these that I noticed that the centre piece (usually in white enamel) was separately applied.

[magpie]

Special service may just be the term for war service, as in this RF sportsman's battalions recruitment poster.