Rarest Cap Badge

[Tinto]

Hello All,
Admittedly not of British origin, but I consider that the rarest badge in my collection is the German Duenkirchenschild (Dunkirk Shield).

Extract from "Antique Arms and Militaria" Vol.2, No.9, June 1980:
"Only a very small number of this very rare shield were made, at the instigation of Admiral Frisius, commander of the besieged German garrison at Dunkirk in 1944. Only 50 are thought to have been made and awarded to Luftwaffe ground troops and Kriegsmarine personnel. The shield was fairly crudely stamped from sheet copper and had holes around the edge for stitching the shield to the tunic sleeve. The shield was, like the Lorient shield, purely a locally sanctioned award, which had no official standing, and was never approved by higher authorities." By the autumn of 1944, although the battle of France was almost over and the Allied armies were closing up to the defences of Germany, the Germans still held Dunkirk and a number of positions along the Atlantic coast of France. By the possession of this coastal pocket they were able to obstruct the Allied supply line. Bombing reduced these enemy defences to a number of strong points isolated from each other and Canadian troops proceeded to occupy them one by one. By the end of September 1944, Dieppe, Le Havre, Boulogne, and Calais were captured by the Allies. Dunkirk garrison alone held out, the last German stronghold on the French coast, although the reopening of Antwerp to Allied shipping had rendered it strategically valueless. At Dunkirk the Germans were pinned into a perimeter roughly following that occupied by the B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) at the time of the 1940 evacuation. Dunkirk, which had been by-passed in the advance, was contained by a Czech force and held out in a five months siege, interrupted by a 60 hour truce in October 1944 to allow the evacuation of the civilian population. Rear-Admiral Frisius, in command of the garrison, surrendered May 10, 1945, only after orders from Grand Admiral Doenitz. The port was re-opened to traffic in August, 1946.

Subsequent research has revealed information that the badge was worn on the field service cap, not the sleeve.

Cheers,
Tinto

[whizzbang]

Fascinating post Tinto. Maybe my knowledge of WW2 history is not what it should be but I never would have guessed that the Germans held out on French soil until May 10 1945! One of the things I love about badge collecting is tying the badge to the history which you have done admirably here. Many thanks! Cheers, Ian.

[badgecollector]

hi all
have only ever seen 2 of these.
one was for sale about 20yrs ago and one in the Australian war memorial.
sure there are a few badges that were special order (one offs) but this one was official.
this one (courtesy of the awm) belonged to Cap badge : Lieutenant Colonel J Monash, Australian Intelligence Corps (militia)
Voided gilded brass and enamel cap badge showing a white enamelled map of Australia, including Tasmania, within a blue garter bearing gold lettering, 'AUSTRALIAN INTELLIGENCE CORPS'. Above is a brass King's crown; beneath a blue enamelled scroll with gold lettering, 'FOREWARNED FOREARMED. The badge is stamped on the reverse 'STOKES & SONS' and is backed with scarlet wool cloth. There are two lugs for attachment.
c 1908
bc

[Paul Spellman]

The description of RARE is used quite a lot by Dealers and Sellers most of the time wrongly.
To me Rare would be up to 10 only known, you could use Extremely Rare-possibly 2-3
I would not be sure if I had any Rare badges,probably as soon as I made a claim as such someone would probably pull out a box of them, but I am happy to call some of mine Scarce.
Paul

[GriffMJ]

I would say that a proper double scroll Nelly (slider) for the 19th Hussars is a rare one

[2747andy]

This has to be in the Rare category (Paul's post) rather than scarce? A Gilt LG OSD, maker marked Gaunt with blade fittings, probably only worn in single figures prior to abdication?

Andy

[magpie]

Rare to me would be perhaps a couple of hundred but rarely seen and a badge that was only made in low double/ single figures would be in the unobtainable category as you would be extremely lucky to find an original never mind owning one and how many badges of say 9 made are still in existence.
Just my thoughts, Andy

[alan g]

Griff
More like a silver one

Regards
Alan

[magpie]

They may have been an officer's only badge

[Mike_2817]

Originally Posted by David Tremain

Someone I know in California some years ago came out with a device where you could put your DNA on something, using a special pad. The imprint would show up under UV light. He gave me one to try. I never did anything with it as I was skeptical about it working. And what use would it be in a museum? Whose DNA would you put on something? A museum doesn't have a corporate DNA. If it was the Director's, what happens when he leaves?

David

There is a British product called 'SmartWater' which applies a digital DNA to an item

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SmartWater

[GriffMJ]

Originally Posted by alan g

Griff
More like a silver one

Regards
Alan

I think both are just as rare.... "outside" of a collection

[Marcus H]

25th Dragoons, OSD, Trial Pattern cap badge.

I would imagine it very unlikely too many of these were made, or any of the WRC Trial Pattern badges for that matter.

Best,

Marcus

[William]

Originally Posted by manchesters

A Victorian Parachute Regiment cap badge is very rare

Only rare in Agonised Ally.

William

[ianh67military]

The REME made brass SAS cap badge from North Africa is spectacularly rare, probably in single figures.
(There's a cloth shoulder title to the SRS from what I remember. Only ever seen one photo of it being worn and I think there's an example in captivity too- not a cap badge but...)
The FANY SAS cap badge, only 3 made. There was one in the Airborne Forces Museum in Aldershot.
The silver commando skull badge from WW2. 4 or 6 commando? A couple I known?
The Canadian Para Battalion Officers cap badge - 100ish,possibly a few more made? Possibly even more as they were private purchase, but so many collectors after them.

the list of SF, Para and Commado stuff from the early WW2 years is now almost unobtainium or similar. Stuff like LRDG or PPA silver badges. All will cost an arm and/or a leg IF you can find one.

I was exceptionally lucky to get my hands on a SILVER marked Selous Scouts officers cap badge. Only very few were actually used, but I've got a real one.

Values? As discussed here, whatever somebody will pay for it. Anything that was a battalion or less of elite troops in WW2 must be a minimum of £250 these days, with the sky the limit. The brass REME SAS badge was selling for >£500 years ago...

Ian H

Damm, I forgot the enamel SBS cap badge - I actually saw one once.
Wibble, nurse I need more meds...

[Phillip Herring]

I've posted this here before.
New Westminster Rifle Volunteers
This is the only known example unless anybody knows otherwise.

Phil