thoughts on these titles please - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

badgecollector · #1 28-08-21, 02:15 AM

hi all
what are your thoughts on thses titles please.
ive never seen some of these so dont even know if there made up.
especially that HBMGC/C title. was that actualy worn? how? its so long??
regards
bc

badgecollector · #2 30-08-21, 09:31 AM

hi all
are these real or fantasy?
genuine or duds
bc

MH331 · #3 30-08-21, 10:00 AM

I am not sure what some of these are meant to represent e.gMGC T? Surely not tanks? Definitely not Territorial? The long one looks to be in slightly different tones of brass? And as you say is far to long for a shoulder title as well as being off centre.

Hoot · #4 31-08-21, 11:25 AM

MGC over M is Machine Gun Corps (Motors), they were formed in 1915 from the former Motor Machine Gun Service. HS over MGC is Machine Gun Corps (Heavy Section), also found as MGC over H. That weird HBMGC over C is a lash up made from a Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) title, originally MGC over C. As if anyone would imagine there was a Heavy Branch of the MGC (Cavalry).

mike_vee · #5 31-08-21, 11:55 AM

I know nothing about these badges but it looks to me like someone has tried to possibly produce a "rare" (nonexistant) badge .

Heavy Branch

Machine Gun Corps

C Company

Quote:

The Heavy Section was formed on 1 May 1916, becoming the Heavy Branch in November of that year. Men of C and D Companies of this branch crewed the first tanks in action at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette,

The fact that the 'C' is centered under the MGC rather than the middle of the title is not the "uniform" type of insignia you would expect.

.

Alex Rice · #6 01-09-21, 07:40 AM

I thought the HB might be meant to be Household Brigade, as part of the Guards MG Company?

badgecollector · #7 02-09-21, 04:36 AM

thanks guys
might leave them all alone.
all to hard
cheers
bc

Hoot · #8 02-09-21, 02:17 PM

I think the HS/MGC and MGC/M ones are ok.

enfant perdus · #9 02-09-21, 05:16 PM

The hex lugged HS/MGC is definitely good and I'm inclined to the other two as well. The curved one in particular doesn't reproduce any existing elements from other insignia and would be a considerable effort to fake unless you were going to churn them out in batches, which hasn't been the case AFAIK.

As for the MGC/M, titles I don't bother with sandcast/bazaar badges, so that one is out. The other I like, for a lower price.

The "T" variants, I would love to be real, but make no sense. That HB nonsense is a monstrosity.

badgecollector · #10 03-09-21, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enfant perdus

The hex lugged HS/MGC is definitely good and I'm inclined to the other two as well. The curved one in particular doesn't reproduce any existing elements from other insignia and would be a considerable effort to fake unless you were going to churn them out in batches, which hasn't been the case AFAIK.

As for the MGC/M, titles I don't bother with sandcast/bazaar badges, so that one is out. The other I like, for a lower price.

The "T" variants, I would love to be real, but make no sense. That HB nonsense is a monstrosity.

thanks for your reply enfant perdus?
is this referring to anything in particular?
i had never heard of the "Forlorn hope" until i watched the Sharpes series.
anyway, these are confusing and i tend to agree with you.
the question is, do i take a punt and buy them?
if ok, what are these titles worth?
cheers
bc

enfant perdus · #11 03-09-21, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgecollector

thanks for your reply enfant perdus?
is this referring to anything in particular?
i had never heard of the "Forlorn hope" until i watched the Sharpes series.
anyway, these are confusing and i tend to agree with you.
the question is, do i take a punt and buy them?
if ok, what are these titles worth?
cheers
bc

I have a long history of being sent into the breach.

Worth/value is a tough, especially when items are rare and one doesn't have the luxury of dealer websites and auction catalogues to see what the prevailing wisdom is. The other aspect is how significant a gap it will fill in your collection. For me, and this is purely based on my personal wants and needs, I would readily spend over $100 on the curved HS/MGC. The HS/MGC with hex lugs, I already have an example, but if I were to sell it I'd probably ask $125-150. The other HS/MGC I would also likely pay north of $100. As mentioned, I would pass on the sandcast MGC/M as I don't collect those, but the other I would likely limit myself to $50. I like it, and I believe the components are genuine, it's just the uncertainty of when they were joined that nags me.

NB: For clarity, I'm the US (hence $) and so I don't factor VAT, but shipping from UK and Europe is punishing. The relative scarcity of good British and Commonwealth badges in the US means I'll sometimes pay more than UK or European collectors who have more purchasing opportunities. The flip side of that is I can often sell at a modest premium to other US collectors.

badgecollector · #12 04-09-21, 08:00 AM

thanks
that certainly is a great help
i let you know how i go
cheers
bc

Staffsyeoman · #13 04-09-21, 09:52 AM

The three-tier badges are pure fantasy and the HBMGC/C too.

There were no MGC titles with a "T" as it was never part of the Territorial Force, and I think an eagle-eyed provost would have had any removed on sight.