Unusual British Legion badge

[Shiny]

Hi All,

I got this British Legion badge yesterday and was wondering if anyone had come across one before.

It is the older style badge but has a pin fitting rather than the usual horseshoe you would expect.

Michael

[leigh kitchen]

Would the pin fitting indicate that the badge is for wear by a female?

[Shiny]

Morning Leigh,

That was my thoughts as well but I'm not sure when women could be members of the main section (if that's the right term) as opposed to the womens section.

I'm thinking possibly from day 1 as they served as well but I'm sure that won't have been the thinking at the time.

Michael

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Shiny

Morning Leigh,

That was my thoughts as well but I'm not sure when women could be members of the main section (if that's the right term) as opposed to the womens section.

I'm thinking possibly from day 1 as they served as well but I'm sure that won't have been the thinking at the time.

Michael

Hi Michael

Found this on RBLWS website ;

"At a Legion Conference in July 1922, a further Resolution was proposed that the Constitution be amended to allow ex-Servicewomen to be admitted to ordinary membership of the Legion on equal terms with the men. As a result, the world ‘Auxiliary’ was amended to 'Section' and thus the British Legion ‘Women’s Section’ was born. A further amendment to the Bye-Laws accepted that ex-Servicewomen could be members of a British Legion Branch as well as a Women’s Section Branch. "

[engr9266]

Originally Posted by mike_vee

Hi Michael

Found this on RBLWS website ;

"At a Legion Conference in July 1922, a further Resolution was proposed that the Constitution be amended to allow ex-Servicewomen to be admitted to ordinary membership of the Legion on equal terms with the men. As a result, the world ‘Auxiliary’ was amended to 'Section' and thus the British Legion ‘Women’s Section’ was born. A further amendment to the Bye-Laws accepted that ex-Servicewomen could be members of a British Legion Branch as well as a Women’s Section Branch. "

I would have thought that they would still wear the RBL Women's section badge.
As we know sexism was quite strong back then and I would think that a woman would not be allowed to wear a Man's badge at any time and I am sure that a Lady would be proud to wear her Women's section badge.
Just my thought.
Jerry

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by engr9266

I would have thought that they would still wear the RBL Women's section badge.
As we know sexism was quite strong back then and I would think that a woman would not be allowed to wear a Man's badge at any time and I am sure that a Lady would be proud to wear her Women's section badge.
Just my thought.
Jerry

I would have thought the same but wonder who/why introduced the amendment that women could be members of a British Legion Branch as well as the Women's Section.

Damn suffragettes !

PS , have seen badges with both vertical and horizontal pin fittings.

[engr9266]

Originally Posted by Shiny

Hi All,

I got this British Legion badge yesterday and was wondering if anyone had come across one before.

It is the older style badge but has a pin fitting rather than the usual horseshoe you would expect.

Michael

Michael, I have a couple of this version in my collection.
Jerry

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Shiny

Hi All,

I got this British Legion badge yesterday and was wondering if anyone had come across one before.

It is the older style badge but has a pin fitting rather than the usual horseshoe you would expect.

Michael

Have just been sorting out my BL badges and found all the ones I have with pin fittings .

Sorry for quality of photo , think when I get time (and money) I may get all my BL/RBL badges professionally photographed.

[dumdum]

Hi all

A brief search located the large silver BL badge. It is just marked "SILVER" and then "BMCo" (Birmingham Medal Co).

A 9ct large badge that I possess has the "service details" for the owner engraved on the reverse.

He was Chairman of the Wimbledon branch (Great Uncle Bulgaria was the Secretary....) for seven years and was Hon Auditor for thirteen years (unlucky for some...).

A very kind UK-based contact has produced his MIC for me showing service with the East Surreys (F & F, with award of trio). Discharged as Class "Z"" in 1919.

[dumdum]

Hi Michael

A nice collection of BL items. I have a badge for the Port Sunlight BL branch if I remember correctly. They must have been "squeaky clean".....

I am thinking of parting with a small 9ct badge (hallmarked 1967-68). Good order, no damage. PM if keen!

[mike_vee]

The only silver BL items I have are a 1934 East Anglia Area Bowls tournament semifinalist medal (hallmarked) and a 1937/38 Metropolitan Area Inter games winner medal (hallmarked) , got them reasonably cheap (£5.00 each).

I'd love to get a full set of the gold badges but for the moment they are just 'wish list' items.

[mike_vee]

Bought a small lot of BL/RBL badges , they arrived today and one confused me.

Similar size , shape and colouring to the small tie pin size items but no British Legion or Royal British Legion lettering.

What it did have was "CE-SL" on the top and Malawi on the bottom . After a bit hunting around on Google I discovered it is for the "Commonwealth Ex-Services League" (mentioned on RBL website) .

I only bought the lot for the smallest BLWS badge (womens section on top bar) but am happy with my interesting little find.

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by dumdum

Hi all
A brief search located the large silver BL badge. It is just marked "SILVER" and then "BMCo" (Birmingham Medal Co).

Found some info from the now 'defunct' "The British Legion Memorabilia Collectors Club" website.

The Royal Charter of 1925 states :

"MEMBERSHIP Rule 7. - The Members of the Legion shall consist of four classes of Members namely Ordinary , Life , Honorary and Women.

(B) Life Members shall comprise such persons being Ordinary Members of the Legion as the National Executive Council or a Branch shall admit to Life Membership of the Legion."

They mention a "J. R. Gaunt Silver Plated Life Membership badge has the Registered (Membership) Number of 165702 which roughly equates to 1925"

"J. R. Gaunt London were the first enamel badge manufacturer to be contracted to supply British Legion member badges. Since the discovery of the 1928 British (* should this be Birmingham ?) Medal Company Gold Badge we could only roughly estimate when the Legion changed its preferred badge manufacturer to be around 1927 -28."

"After WW2 at the 1946 25th Anniversary Conference the members voted to replace all sizes of badge with the smaller one (and redesign the WS badge)". It appears that this is when Gaunt got the contract back ?

"British Legion (BL) Life Membership Badges evolved from its first appearance entirely silver plated, then in silver plated and blue enamel, and then to its final version in brass and enamel".

Note : The BL badge with the lower 'Life Member' scroll appears to be a later version ( post WW2 ?).

So , your silver Birmingham Medal Co. badge may be a variation (silver rather than silver plated) of a Life Membership badge dating between 1927/28 and 1945 ?

NB. "The British Legion Memorabilia Collectors Club" based a lot of it's information on badges (or photos) that it had acquired , but unfortunately it does not provide many documented references.


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[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Shiny

Hi All,

I got this British Legion badge yesterday and was wondering if anyone had come across one before.

It is the older style badge but has a pin fitting rather than the usual horseshoe you would expect.

Michael

After a bit of research I have some information.

The badge in post#1 is a smaller (20mm) post WW2 Gaunt version , so it can be dated between 1945 and 1972.

Gaunt had the initial contract to produce British Legion badges and I have an example of the early (1922-1928) larger version (26mm) with a horizontal pin fitting , so it is possible that this style was an option from the very start.

In 1928 Gaunt lost the contract and the Birmingham Medal Company took over , they also produced a larger version (26mm) with a vertical pin fitting.

In 1945 Gaunt got the contract back when the size of the badge was reduced to 20mm and they (and their subcontractors) produced badges with both horizontal and vertical pin fittings.


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