Canadian CEF Officers Badges - 8th and 10th - Hicks & Sons, London

[2747andy]

Two nice CEF badges, can someone please confirm they are officers' badges? And what would the value be? The 10th is missing one lug!

Andy

[David Tremain]

Andy, the first one looks like Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
David

[2747andy]

David,
yes I know, 8th Bn CEF, is it an officers badge?

Andy

[DavidS]

Charlton First Ed. (1991) calls both of them officer's badges, $30-$45 for the 8th Winnipeg and $50-$70 for the 10th. The bi metal Winnipeg Hicks sells between $40-$70 these days. No idea about the 10th, but it is a popular badge. Now buy my price guide

[GregN]

David is right re the 10 CEF, it is an officers version. The 8th, I'm not so sure as it's a very common badge in bi-metal. I'm pretty sure it was worn pre and post WW 1 so that may account for the numbers one sees.

The 8 CEF officer badges I have in my collection contain sterling silver versions and bi-metal ones as well - both worn pre and post WW1. Sterling badges are certainly officers issue, the others - not sure. Is there a 8th CEF, Winnipeg Rifles specialist out there?

Greg

[Phillip Herring]

I THINK that the 8th Bn badge is an OR's.

Phil

[2747andy]

Phil, I was taking into consideration the construction method (pins) and the Makers Mark, it is certainly of "Better" quality than most of the Canadian items I've had in the past!

Best regards

Andy

[DavidS]

In support of Greg's contention that the Winnipeg Rifles bi metal badges were used as OR badges, through 2012 to date I have recorded nearly equal numbers of white metal only or brass only badges (7 total, both types), and bi-metal Hicks (6 total) having sold on eBay.

[Bill A]

Not being sterling, it is likely an other ranks badge. As indicated, these were worn after the war.

[8Hussar]

I agree that the bi-metal 8th Bn badge is an other ranks. It has been my experience that, with the majority of the Winnipeg Rifles officer's badges that I have handled over the years, the officer devil is a distinct style from the other ranks version. This applies to collars as well. He appears skinnier and more erect. Attached are two officers' cap badges and a white metal other ranks for comparison. The sterling one was manufactured by R Lewis Winnipeg and marked sterling whereas the bronze one has no maker mark and is from a different die but same style of devil.

[GregN]

There are a couple other CEF era badges that often get misidentified as officers badges. Two that come to mind are 211 CEF where just the number is in white metal and 187 CEF where the overlay is in two pieces (elk and Canada = ORs) as opposed to 187 + Elk + Canada which I believe is the officers pattern. The 211 CEF officer version has a silver shield and a separate banner.

I don't think there has been a post on these badges. My suspicions are based on relative rarity of these badges.

Greg

[arcticmedals]

I'd be interested in buying the 10th from you Andy if you decide to sell it ?

[2747andy]

Mike,
I think it may already be going to a good home in the UK? I will let you know if it does not go!

Best regards

Andy

[ledfut]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Not being sterling, it is likely an other ranks badge. As indicated, these were worn after the war.

I have been doing a bit of my own "research" on this topic.

Almost every time I see one of these bi-metal 8th Bn badges up for sale, it is listed as an officer's badge. However, abundant photographic evidence indicates that this version of the badge was commonly worn by OR's during the Great War.

I have a couple of postcards in my own collection showing as much, but perhaps one of the best photos I could find which clearly shows 8th Battalion OR's wearing the bi-metal badge is the following photo from Library and Archives Canada (look closely at the caps on the two standing soldiers at the right in the photo):