Who collects what?

[Neil1689]

Have been collecting both Battalions of the Wessex Volunteers / Regiment 1967 to 1995 for just over a year now, great fun.
Was a Piper with 1 KOSB (1977 - 91) so could help with questions about that.

[Artynut]

As my “handle” suggests, I’m an Artillery badge collector. After many years I’ve decided to try and post a few of my badges and buttons onto Albums. I’m finding it’s a long process but I’m trying to ad pics every week. I would welcome any comments, Good or Bad, also as I’m sure there are a number of “Duds” inadvertently included, Please advise me of them. I will add corrections etc. Into the text accompanying each badge and include your handle along with my thanks. Best regards, D.J.

[gurkharifles]

The clue is in the name - but I collect insignia to the 10 Gurkha Regiments pre 1947 - with a secondary interest in the British Brigade of Gurkhas post 1947. In my earlier collecting days I used to collect British Cavalry and Pre 1881 Glengarry's but have moved on almost all of them to fund my Gurkha collection. - I think there are only a few of us on the forum who specifically collect Gurkha badges but it's always interesting to see other members "odd Gurkha badges" - sometimes they turn up real gems. Tim

[ianh67military]

Blimey, where do I start. My Grandfather gave me his WW1 medal ribbons when I was about 10. I got interested in military things and have spent almost 50 years going round church jumble sales, boot fairs, antique and collectors fairs, charity shops, militaria fairs, surplus shops, the list is endless. Secured all my relatives badges. The collection now? :

1. Brit Parachute and Special Forces and their offshoots inc WW2 French, Canadian, Indian, Polish, Italian, Rhodesian. Not just Badges, but uniforms, equipment, weapons, prints, wallshields, mugs.
2. Brit Army WW2 to current day cap, collar, rank, trade, TRFs, everything.
3. Rhodie UDI and Zimb badges & uniforms (plus mugs, wall shields, books)
4. US army badges WW1 to current day, esp Para & SF. Inc USAF Para, SF, airlift, aerial port, rescue. USMC everything.
5. RAF helicopter and air transport/airdrop.
6. Anything else; medals, captured souvenirs, posters, reference books, shiny things, etc etc etc.

As you can see from the above, I am a dedicated lunatic. Over the years I've sold all my Nazi stuff, Bundeswehr badges, Russian insignia, RAF fighter Sqn badges, world wide para wings and some doubles. I've actually worked for militaria dealers and spent my wages on badges. I have just retired and can now get seriously into militaria proper.

Ian H. Ex Civil Servant

[DJT]

My main interest is in medals and memorabilia related to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers but I also have an eclectic collection of items from other units/nations/periods. Items that look like they have been through the thick of it or have good provenance always interest me.

[KLR]

When I was a boy I collected 1914 infantry (cavalry were far too expensive even then) which I finally completed. I had a small collection of KLR badges but there was then a gap of 25 odd years when they just sat in a box. Finally in early 2000s I sold all sorts of militaria, I also moved on my KLR non 'cap badges' in order to concentrate - as well as a strict chronology 1881-1958 (though a few post 1958 TA ones). However a "cap" in my book covers Glengarry cap, Torin Cap, Field Service Cap, Peaked Cap, Beret, Irish Caubeen and Scottish Glengarry.
Unless you're a milionaire you have to be pragmatic and patient (as another Forum member put it)

[Sonofacqms]

Well, I did start this thread, so a little more about my collecting, I started in the early fifties with my Fathers RE cap badge which I stuck in my blazer buttonhole and proudly went to school with it, this was around 1952 and a few of the other boys copied me with their Fathers badges in their lapels.

This was a challenge to exchange and get more to my collection which I did with swaps of sweets which I did not eat and were on ration still. The real breakthrough happened when I walked into my Grandparents pub one afternoon and the drayman having his pint after the delivery noticed my RE badge and asked whether I collected badges, I explained that I did, he said he had a box of them he'd give me. I still have all those badges Mr Brown donated and my next target were family members, some still doing National Service and John Westland, my cousin who wrote the book on silk postcards gave me his little collection.

I kept my badges, although some very scarce shoulder titles were exchanged for Nazi badges in the early sixties, we all make mistakes I know and there it more or less stayed.

When we bought our house I decided to give up smoking, so needed something to concentrate on, back to badge collecting, joined the MHS and have never smoked since, such is the power of the W/M, BIM, A/A, Plastic and cloth insignia.

I try to concentrate on RE and East Anglian badges, but the odd bits and pieces take my eye now and then.

Rob

[cbuehler]

For me, I have been collecting militaria and firearms on and off for fifty one years now, with of course a special focus on pre-52 British Army material, cap badges mostly, although I have far too many uniforms as well.
Family friends and my time in a Pipe Band in New York back in the mid 1970s piqued my interest in Scottish at first, but that soon branched out into the whole gamut, including the British Indian Army in particular.
As with most, I have sold or traded much of my early collection when I moved to San Francisco and my interests changed to Japanese art during my trips to there in the 80s and 90s.
I also became deeply interested in Philippine American history (my wife is Filipino) and have managed to acquire a small but good collection up to and including WW2. The American experience in the Philippines was very similar in many ways to the British in India.
Am semi retired now and unfortunately find myself having to take a bit of a break from collecting due to the sad situation we are all facing right now.
Stay well!

CB

[jermil]

Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark Militia and civilian services insignia from the Channel Islands especially Jersey Police Honorifique badges, armbands and Batons

[Lazio]

I've been hooked on military buttons for a few years Victorian and Georgian mainly with a main collection of Volunteer types.

[Bill]

My interest is in cap badges of The Great War, especially Cavalry (including Yeomanry) and the Brigade of Guards.