GviR Royal Engineers

[ebro]

I believe your cousin Tyrone's medal is the gsm northern ireland.
Eddie

[Phil2M]

Thanks Ebro, yes you have confirmed what i was told. I am trying at the moment to find out more about him. Hes a living relative but I have no contact with him.

Cheers

Phil

[Charlie585]

Hello Gents,

Having received the badge today (Many thanks Phil) I am still in two minds as to its authenticity.

To add to the concerns that I stated previously, the badge does bend fairly easily which is not usually considered to be a good sign. However, I have been made aware of an argument against that view in the current FN maker mark thread.

It is though a very attractive and well constructed badge and as I have said before, "I am always happy to give an old Sapper a home".

I'll keep an open mind for the time being and will update the thread if I am able to confirm its origins either way.

Regards.

Ry

[Phil2M]

You are more than welcome, glad it arrived safe and sound and is now living with friends. You see what I mean about it now, it seems right but still its odd. I look forward to your updates.

Ry neglects to mention that he was kind enough to send me a gift or two, so I was only returning the gesture.

My new one arrived this morning, its a spot on bulk standard RE GviR, just how I like em. Nice tapered slider, gold braze, patina etc.

Just the Q/C bimetal one to arrive now for the set. should be tomorrow, I will forget the EviiiR for now.

Cheers Ry,

Phil

[Charlie585]

Hi Phil,

My albums aren't up at the moment but you can see some of my RE badges in post #8 of this thread:

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ad.php?t=17646

My QVc badges are unfortunately just out of shot and my QCs are not in this frame.

REgards

Ry

[Phil2M]

Nice, is the w/m a vols battalion? I think I will find a plastic too at some point.

My set is just o/r badges.

I am a bit off collecting the WWs badges at the moment, so I am looking at MOD/Police etc for a while. I need to sort through what I have and chuck the c**p, sort it into the right groups and rethink it a bit.

Phil

[Charlie585]

Hi Phil,

Pleased that you like the RE badges. If it is the WM GVl that you are referring to?
It is a chromed badge and fits into several possible categories for the period.

1. Armoured Engineers.
2. TA badge.
3. Walking out badge.
4. SNCOs badge.

As far as your clear out goes, I know that you have been collecting mainly blind for many years.

An idea that may help!

I would assume from how keen you have shown yourself to be so far that you intend to be with us for a good while to come so I see no reason why anyone would object if you were to post images of your badges for the membership to give you a yes or no on them in order to steer you in the right direction.

You need to get good front and rear images and it would be best to do it in an album format.

It has been done for others who are only here to make money so lets hope that you get a positive response from those that know so that you are able to learn from the experience.

The very best of luck with it.

Ry

[Alan O]

The practice of TA wearing w/m badges ended pre WW1 as they (like most other TA units) wore the same badge as the regulars from 1916.

SNCO’s wore the bi-metal GVI badge so it is not a SNCOs badge.

It could be chromed as an armoured unit modification, done to avoid daily cleaning or a post war thing by a old boy for wear on British legion parades.

[Tinto]

Hi Phil, Ry, and others,
Phil's first post sent me checking my Royal Engineers badges and I have this one which was on a belt collected by a New Zealand Provost in the Korean War.
Note the similar veining on the leaves, similar slider, but different crown.
Cheers, Tinto

[Charlie585]

Hi Gents,

Tinto,

Your badge does bear some striking similarities to the first badge discussed in this thread and adds weight to the possiblility of it being original. Many thanks for taking the time to dig it out and for showing us.

Alan,

Thank you for your views as well, in my post I did state that the list I gave were possible uses.
I take your point about it not being a TA badge as I defer to your knowledge on matters WW1.

I still think from previous discussions on the subject that it could have been a SNCOs badge as the Bi metal version didn't appear until 1949 and the walking out badge theory is shared by others so remains a possibility.

It is widely assumed, as you seem to agree, that it was worn by Armoured (Assault) Engineers and of course I failed to mention the "old boy" veteran possibility.

For the purposes of my collection I have it as an Armoured Engineer, unit chromed variant.

There you go Phil, I think that pretty much covers this badge and its possible uses.

Regards to all.

Ry

[fougasse1940]

The following from a series of articles on RE badges in the Crown Imperial magazine:
GviR White-metal badge, this was for sappers of the Field Park Coy in the 6th Armoured Div and introduced unofficially in 1943. Note the unit was not an armoured unit but RE within an Armoured Div.
The Militia and Volunteers did not have a badge until the King Edward 7th type was made and the variations were Royal Engineers (Militia) in brass, bronze and gilt, whilst for the volunteers the badge was in white-metal and had a Royal Engineers (Volunteers), for officers the badges were silver plate and bronze. Later on the Militia badge was the regular type with the addition of the letter ‘M’ in white-metal. It is believed the officers continued to wear “Royal Engineers Militia” in gilt and bronze.
The Volunteers wore their badges until 1908 when the movement was disbanded. Where a Territorial Force unit was raised from the Volunteers the personnel were permitted to continue with white-metal badges. In 1916 in recognition of the services of the T.F. all ranks were entitled to wear Regular R.E. insignia, and have continued to the present time, with the exeption of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) who had a special badge designed for them.

Rgds,
Thomas.

[Phil2M]

All fascinating stuff you learn something everyday.

I hope that the original badge I posted is a genuine example, its always nice to think that you may have helped somebody out with their collection in a valid way.

regards

Phil