Guards Machine gun badge.

[KLR]

If it's any help, the War Office ordered 30,000 MGC badges on 17th April 1916.
I believe that the MGC eventually mustered some 100,000 men which would require a number of dies over the 1915-1922 period.

[Nozzer]

.................

[Alan O]

Originally Posted by KLR

If it's any help, the War Office ordered 30,000 MGC badges on 17th April 1916.
I believe that the MGC eventually mustered some 100,000 men which would require a number of dies over the 1915-1922 period.

I would point out that that was for the MGC whereas the GMGR was a single battalion for 2 years. I think a couple of thousand badges would be enough.

[magpie]

MGC cavalry 8,072
MGC infantry 120,772
MGC motors 2,433
Household cav 7,595
Foot guards 49,107 at their peaks
3 army troop MG battalions from the Household cavalry ?
Guards machine gun regiment 31 officer's 623 o/r formed from the foot guards.
The nominal roll of the guards machine gun regiment? lists 266 dead 135 cav and 131 foot guards.
I hope I've got that correct and of some use.

[Chipper]

Originally Posted by Alan O

I would point out that that was for the MGC whereas the GMGR was a single battalion for 2 years. I think a couple of thousand badges would be enough.

Thanks Alan.

Do you have a feel for why the GMG battalion star badges seem relatively easy to get, (ignoring the plentiful e-bay fakes, of course) at least compared to the GMGR badges which superseded them, which seem as rare as hen's teeth? (to me, anyway). if there were only a few thousand, i'd expect them to be amongst the rarer badges? A very interesting thread, this.

cheers, Tim

[Alan O]

Tim

With 600 bn strength, even allowing for casulaties and replacements, I can only conclude that these have been widely restruck - and I mean restruck using original dies or with dies that are indistinguishable from the originals (as well as the fake dies) which is why they are even more common than larger battalion badges.

Alan

[Postwarden]

Thought this might be an interesting addition to this thread.

Jon

[macandpud]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

Are these particular examples, you show here, in the current DNW auction?

Yes the pair of badges are in that auction.

[Alan O]

For reference this is mine. It is a deep strike a nicely crimped slider.

[Frank Kelley]

I thought they looked familiar!

Originally Posted by macandpud

Yes the pair of badges are in that auction.

[JerryBB]

More fakes from jdr

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Jerry,
I made mention of that in your thread on the AAC, I have to say that I am surprised anyone would bid on that and the GMGR that was also listed, now at £37 with thirteen bids.
Regards Frank

[Wayne Ihaka]

see photo

has a slider on reverse

aware these are widely copied - opinions on this one

[GTB]

Was this badge ever issued with loops?

GTB

[Alan O]

Not to my knowledge. Slidered only.