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  #1  
Old 19-09-20, 05:06 AM
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Default Before the British Legion there was....

Hi all

Prompted by recent discussions about organisations that pre-date the British Legion, I decided to gather together these badges.

Some are more than well-known of course (such as the Comrades of the Great War, Discharged & Demobilised Soldiers & Sailors, etc.) but others, such as the curiously large diamond-shaped badge, or the N.E.S (National Ex-Servicemen???). with the "Loyalty" base scroll have had me wondering.

Any thoughts?

I will post other pics later.
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File Type: jpg pre_britleg.jpg (37.3 KB, 23 views)
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  #2  
Old 19-09-20, 06:54 AM
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During and immediately after WW1 there were numerous socio/political groups which 'claimed' to support ex-servicemen's rights etc.

The best source of information I have found is "The Politics of Influence" by Graham Wootton. I've a copy somewhere and will check out the various organisations whose badges you have posted.

The small (scroll) NU exservice men badge is from the NUX.

The National Union of Ex-Servicemen (NUX) was a socialist ex-servicemen's organisation founded in London in early 1919 with close links with the Labour Party(disbanded by the end of 1921).

National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers (NFDDSS) - The organisation was founded in January 1917 by various London-based veterans groups opposed to the Military Service (Review of Exceptions) Act 1917, which made it possible for people invalided out of the armed forces to be re-conscripted. It adopted the slogans "Every man once before any man twice" and "Justice before charity".




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Last edited by mike_vee; 19-09-20 at 07:35 AM. Reason: spelling
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  #3  
Old 19-09-20, 07:18 AM
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http://www.rnva.org.uk/
This is the royal Norfolk veterans association, they have a nice badge.
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  #4  
Old 19-09-20, 07:32 AM
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Hi Mike

Many thanks for all that great info. I've heard of the book and was promised a copy but it hasn't yet turned up.

That diamond-shaped badge came my way as a trade from....Australia!

I did find some info in the archives of our national library in a contemporary article entitled (and I'm NOT joking....) "The Fodads and the La-dee-dahs"

This was their take on the Federation of Discharged Soldiers and Sailors(Fodads).

What surprised me was that the "la-dee-dahs" was a dig at the Comrades of the Great War who (despite the name suggesting some link with "red" politics) were seen as elitist and the preserve of the "establishment".

For some time I, in ignorance, failed to grasp the fact that "comrades" referred to ex-service members.

I'm still ignorant in many areas but not THAT one!

Thanks again and I look forward to anything you may be able to unearth.

The NUX badge was a wee find from the 'Net and I got another one which was a little damaged (they are a very fragile item and easily bent).

Have found some old photos of one of their meetings with everyone wearing this distinctive little scrolled badge!
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Old 19-09-20, 07:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by norfolk regt man View Post
http://www.rnva.org.uk/
This is the royal Norfolk veterans association, they have a nice badge.
Many thanks! An association with a great lineage.
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Old 19-09-20, 09:02 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dumdum View Post
I've heard of the book and was promised a copy but it hasn't yet turned up.
I picked up a cheap 'ex-library' copy but must admit I found it very 'heavy' reading !

I've a couple of other more general books about the British Legion :

"Keeping The Faith - The History of The Royal British Legion" by Brian Harding , an excellent and informative book .

"We Will Remember - Historical Record of The British Legion Scotland" by Lt. Col. George Malcolm of Poltalloch.


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Old 19-09-20, 10:37 AM
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Hi Mike

Great! Noted those titles and will try to track them down. Google Books my have some extracts and we have a couple of good second-hand shops to search through but I'm guessing that the UK would be where these are to be found.

I think that "The Politics of Influence" is around 1964 or so and probably is showing its age. Interesting how writing styles evolve.

I've been churning my way through a WW1 book from the mid-1920s and that IS a mission. It calls itself a trilogy but I want to get through the first, slightly tiresome bit about a Flemish peasant woman who falls for a French noble as the SECOND bit has some military detail that promises to be good.

Fingers crossed!
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Old 19-09-20, 02:41 PM
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DS&S badge

From a 2014 thread:

"The 'National Federation Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers' was the pivotal organisation of the radical ex-servicemen's movement in Britain in 1917-21. This is a very fine example of their national badge, with its distinctive ivy leaf design. The Federation was often known as the DS&S (and its members were "discharged and seldom satisfied"). Fed members were known as 'Ivy Leafers', and the Fed had Ivy Leaf clubs in many towns in the early post WW1 period."

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...91&postcount=5

This information is also on page 38 - "The Great War: Localities and Regional Identities" edited by Nick Mansfield, Craig Horner.


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Old 19-09-20, 03:28 PM
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Empire Ex-Services Assoc. , does bottom say : "Lift Don't Grab"

Found a mention in a 1940 New Zealand newspaper article :

"The Empire Ex-Services Association of Whangarei held it's anuual picnic at Mair Park on Saturday"

Also on a business/company website :

"THE WHANGAREI RETURNED SERVICES' ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED - Previously/Alternatively known as EMPIRE EX SERVICE ASSOCIATION OF WHANGAREI INCORPORATED"


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  #10  
Old 19-09-20, 03:34 PM
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Not before the British Legion but just wanted an excuse to repost this little gem that I picked up earlier this year.

"Commonwealth Ex-Services League - Malawi"
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  #11  
Old 20-09-20, 12:10 AM
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Hi Mike

Thanks again for your help. You've added greatly to my knowledge of this subject and I hope that others will be just as interested as I am.

The motto is: Lift, Don't Lean

Sounds as if you've got the same source as I had that contained the article about the Fodads and the La-dee-dahs!

I think this dates from the early 1930s. I had it for some time before I was able to find a mention of it. It's also so small that it "disappeared" for a few months until it surfaced again with some other badges!

I often see the Ivy Leaf badge described as the Disabled Soldiers & Sailors, mostly on eBay. The trouble is that the more this appears, the more it will be accepted as "fact".
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  #12  
Old 20-09-20, 12:20 AM
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Hi Mike

Thought you might like to see this that I dug out. To be honest, the badge didn't come with the card but it is a nice example anyway.

I did some research and there are a couple of possibilities for the owner. I've also got a Comrades card and I'll post that later.

Again just "associated" with a badge but this type of material won't have survived to the same extent as the badges.
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  #13  
Old 20-09-20, 04:56 AM
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Hi Mike

Here are the Comrades of the Great War membership card and a large-sized badge as promised.

I'm picking that the large badges predate the smaller ones as the numbers seem to be lower on the large badges. This one is: 235.

This man's name appears to be J. Smith so not much chance of tracking him down I guess...
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  #14  
Old 20-09-20, 08:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by norfolk regt man View Post
http://www.rnva.org.uk/
This is the royal Norfolk veterans association, they have a nice badge.
Is the O.C.A a separate group ?

Royal Norfolk Regiment Old Comrades Association Badge


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