Women's Plastic HG Badge Question

[Home Guard]

Yesterday my copy of "British Army Cap Badges of the Second World War" by Doyle and Foster arrived, and of course spent a most enjoyable evening going through it. I know it's a pretty basic book, but does have nice color pictures of badges, and some basic text, so for the money, which was cheap, a nice addition to my library.

OK, all of that said, they make a comment about the women's plastic HG badge being a "silver-grey"badge. I also have Jon's excellent book on the Home Guard, only it is the second edition where the color plates are pretty washed out, so cannot tell from it. Was this badge indeed silver-grey? Mine and many I see are more of a gold color?. Maybe they also made a version in a gold-ish color? Maybe mine is a fake?

Thanks, will be anxious to hear what you all have to say.

Terry

[leigh kitchen]

It's not unknown for WWII plastics to be produced in the wrong colour, eg I have a Queen's Regt in silver grey painted a buff colour and West Yorkshire Regt in silver grey and in 'field copper".
As I recall the HG Auxiliary's badge I have is a light gold colour.

I have the book you mention, I must check the entry on that badge. It wasn't a cap badge but a breast brooch although the badge I have is fitted to a khaki Field Service Cap given to me by a lady who was a HG Auxiliary (and who I never met) via one of my aunt's when I was a kid.

[Home Guard]

Thanks Leigh! What color is the one on the cap that you have? I have been doing some searching for info and found on site that says it was produced in a brown plastic???

My gold-ish one has age to it, and all the proper makers marks on the back in nice detail.

Terry

[leigh kitchen]

It's a light gold colour I think, I'll check.

Light gold.

[Home Guard]

Thanks Leigh,

Yep, looks just like mine,. Still confused about the statement of "silver-grey", as I've never seen on that color except in that book.

Very cool having one on a cap, and named at that!!!

Terry

[Sonofacqms]

This one has provenance, it was issued to my Mother although she never got the cap, it's the same as Leigh's, made by A.Stanley & Sons of Walsall.

Rob

[ARPCDHG]

The book is not technically wrong.

I have three different colour versions in my collection - dark gold, bronze and a sort of dark silvery colour. All are real.

Someone on another forum wondered if it indicated something such as rank etc.

I suspect it was just a dye issue.

[Home Guard]

Thank you all, and the answers are very helpful.

Rob, that sure seems to look like the one I have. Very cool your mom was in the HG!!!

ARPCDHG, Can you share pictures of of the three different colors. Would be very helpful to let me see which one I have and which ones I need to TRY and get - "TRY" being the key word!!!

Terry

[Postwarden]

A photo of the Women Auxiliaries of the Home Guard's 32nd Surrey Bn wearing the badge on their civilian clothes.

[leigh kitchen]

Originally Posted by Home Guard

Thanks Leigh! What color is the one on the cap that you have? I have been doing some searching for info and found on site that says it was produced in a brown plastic???

My gold-ish one has age to it, and all the proper makers marks on the back in nice detail.

Terry

Im not aware of the HG badge being produced in brown, but that was the correct colour for the Women's Timber Corps plastic badge.