National Army Museum, Chelsea - cap badges

[grey_green_acorn]

This is the display of "cap Badges" in the recently re-opened NAM. An eclectic mix in random order from the 1880s to date. Not all are cap badges and I suspect there are a few "restrikes" and at least one from the Birmingham Mint!

Tim

[leigh kitchen]

How disappointing, not what one wants of a museum.
"It looks pretty and it's eye catching" triumphs over honesty and accuracy.

[David Tremain]

A bit of an uninspiring display. Fire their designer!

David

[grey_green_acorn]

Again, no attempt to provide a key to identify each badge nor place in order of precedence.!

Tim

[Arnhemjim]

200 years (1794-1994) service to Great Britain and the Crown. and my eye did not pick-up the cap badge of the 92nd Gordon Highlanders anywhere in the grouping. Please correct me if I am in error. If my observation is correct, Despicable!
Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

[grenadierguardsman]

Chaps, get in touch with the Museum and tell them. In my opinion the archivist in charge is an arrogant individual. I emailed them back in January with reference to a badge and they haven't emailed me back yet. There supposed to within 20 working days. I have phone numerous times to complain, i actually think they don't care. Its just a job !!!!!
Andy

[leigh kitchen]

By contrast I emailed the Light Infantry Committee yesterday afternoon with a badge enquiry, the mail was forwarded to the more appropriate "Rifles Heritage" and I received an extremely helpful reply this morning from a gentleman who had an obvious interest in the history of his regiment.
Good stuff.

[altcar73]

The National Army Museum, is in my opinion a complete waste of time and money. Look at one of their annual reports and the number of staff they employ. Top heavy with very high executive pay. Degrees coming out of their ears. They know next to nothing about what they allegedly care for. Give you the square root of a jar of pickles and starve to death trying to get the lid off!

Dave.

[Gurkha]

Sadley this is the situation in the major museums. In the past Ex officers etc were curators and staff you now have to have a degree. Whilst they may have degree's they just apply for a job with no knowledge of the museum. Hence why we are getting pink and fluffy military museums leaning more towards social rather than military history. The IWM has gone that way and so has the Nat Army museum. When I visited the NAM just befoe it closed I was appaled that the downstairs display area had become a playgroup for the local wealthy children and their nannies.
But then I suppose I'm a grumpy ole' bugger and one of the 'friends of the NAM' from when it opened!

Steve

[Alex Rice]

Originally Posted by Arnhemjim

200 years (1794-1994) service to Great Britain and the Crown. and my eye did not pick-up the cap badge of the 92nd Gordon Highlanders anywhere in the grouping. Please correct me if I am in error. If my observation is correct, Despicable!
Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

I don't see the Royal Scots or the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders either.
Pathetic display

[mooke07]

I emailed the NAM to enquire about the licensing terms for a photograph I should like to reproduce for an article. It has been a week and will see if I get a reply. They say there team will respond to license enquiries within a couple of days.

cheers Dean

[badjez]

FYI I received the following email response from the NAM:
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Thank you for your email, in regards to the forum, which has been passed on to me for a response

The galleries of the new National Army Museum provide an introduction and spring board from which to discuss the army’s history further, which is done through our online offer and our public programme of lectures and events.

The cap badge display to which you refer is part of a display that is designed to provide an insight into the make up of the army by exploring the histories of just some of the many regiments and corps that have served since 1660. It is not designed to be an exhaustive list of every regiment, but uses 150 badges as a starting point. It is for a variety of different people with different levels of knowledge from experts to those who don’t even know what a cap badge is, or that different regiments and units in the army wear a different badge in their head-dress. Because the display is a sample, and includes regiments from across the history of the army rather than a snap shot of a particular time - sometimes including three sets of amalgamations - the badges have not been placed in order of precedence.

Attached to the display is a terminal that replicates the case display. This is the key that identifies each badge. It can be searched either by choosing the badge, or searching for a unit by name. For those that want to learn more, it also provides a short history of the unit (including where they stood in the order of precedence), their motto, nicknames, and one particular unknown and interesting fact. Alongside this is a large-scale picture of the badge, and other photographs from our Collection relating to the unit where available. We have also worked with the British Military Music Archive to source 100-year old, digitally remastered recordings, of the regimental marches as played by the bands of the Guards, which can also be played through the terminal.*

With many thanks, and best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Dr Peter Johnston
Collections Development and Review Manager
National Army Museum
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[grey_green_acorn]

Stephen,

Thank you for making the enquiry and eliciting that comprehensive response from the NAM.
Mine was a short visit in the way of a recce. I did not spot the terminal (screen) that provides the key and detailed information - probably because there were 50 or more school children in the gallery clicking on everything! A good thing that youngsters are interested and I suppose digital technology is the best way of maintaining that interest.
I will return for another look and try to check out the apparent fakes and reproductions amongst the badges displayed.

Tim