Bakelite plastic badges - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

badjez · #1 08-10-09, 03:47 PM

Please could I request some help from forum members.
The attached is a list of bakelite plastic badge I have interest in, but I am sure it is incomplete. I have seen bot the Militaria Magazine list and consulted the ORD4 documents at Kew.

Can anyone add any variations to this list by way of colour, markings etc?
I have note that many badges are not maker marked. Where I have an un-marked badge I have added in brackets the maker who should have produced these items, but which I haven't found marked specimens.

At this time I am not interested in other Corps or Regiments.

Many thanks, Stephen.

Bakelite badge comparison

Corps/Regt/ Colour/ Maker’s name/ Ref/ Markings in addition to maker’s mark.
ATS Brown JR&L Ltd B’ham K&K2279 (un-marked reverse)
Beds & Herts Silver Un-named (JRL?) K&K2220 (un-marked reverse)
Beds & Herts Silver A Stanley & Sons. K&K2220 ?
Cambs Regt Bronze MMMC K&K2266 (un-marked reverse)
Cambs Regt Bronze COI K&K2266 ?
GSC Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2278 (1A)
GSC Silver painted A Stanley & Sons. K&K2278 (1A)
KRRC Black Un-named (HP?). K&K2251 (Silver single moulded oval)
Middx Regt Gold painted F&G K&K2250 ?
Middx Regt Brown LAB K&K2250 ?
Middx Regt Brown 37mm high Un-named K&K2250 (un-marked reverse)
Middx Regt Brown 42mm high F&G K&K2250 (un-marked reverse)
Parachute Regt Silver Un-named (RPL?) K&K2263 (single moulded oval)
RAMC Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2269 (1H- oval reinforced)
RAMC Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2269 (T2- fork prong reinforced)
RAOC Brown MMMC K&K2270 (un-marked reverse)
RAOC Brown F&G K&K2270 (un-marked reverse)
RASC Brown (more oval star) F&G. K&K2268 (un-marked reverse)
RASC Brown (more oval star) Un-named. K&K2268 (un-marked reverse)
RASC Light Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2268 (2-A)
RASC Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2268 (square blade mounting)
RASC Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2268 (oval blade mounting)
RASC Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2268 (yellow backing)
REME Brown Un-named K&K2271 (un-marked reverse)
REME Brown 46mm MMMC K&K2271 (un-marked reverse)
REME Brown 43mm MMMC K&K2271 (un-marked reverse)
REME Brown 43mm F&G K&K2271 (un-marked reverse)
REME Brown 43mm PF K&K2271 ?
RMP Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2272 (un-marked reverse)
R Signals Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2205 (un-marked reverse)
Royal Engineers Brown 42mm A Stanley & Sons. K&K2204 (1-A)
Royal Engineers Brown 42mm A Stanley & Sons. K&K2204 (111 122E123)
Royal Engineers Brown 39mm. A Stanley & Sons. K&K2204 (1-A)
Royal Engineers Grey K&K2204 (Existence mentioned by RE Museum)
Royal Engineers White K&K2204 (Existence mentioned by RE Museum)
Royal Fusiliers Light bronze A Stanley & Sons. K&K2213 (T1 & 104A-1-1)
Essex Regt Brown A Stanley & Sons. K&K2242 (1-A)
Essex Regt Silver painted A Stanley & Sons. K&K2242 (1-A)
Leics Regt Gold painted Un-named (JRL?) K&K2221 (un-marked reverse)
Leics Regt Silver grey Un-named (JRL?) K&K2221 (un-marked reverse)
Lincs Regt Light bronze Un-named (JRL?) K&K2215 (un-marked reverse)
Lincs Regt Bronze F&G K&K2215 ?
Northants Regt Light bronze Un-named (JRL?) K&K2245 (un-marked reverse)
RA Brown Large gun. PF K&K2202 ?
RA Brown 7 flame grenade. F&G. K&K2203 (narrower grenade can)
RA Brown 7 flame grenade. A Stanley & Sons. K&K2203 (un-marked reverse)
RA Gold painted 7 flame grenade. A Stanley & Sons. K&K2203 (reinforced scroll)
Suffolk Regt. Light Bronze F&G K&K2217 (un-marked reverse)
Suffolk Regt. Light Bronze Un-named (AS?) K&K2217 (un-marked reverse)

fougasse1940 · #2 09-10-09, 12:13 AM

Hi badjez,

Interesting subject, but the description bakelite is incorrect, they were made of cellulose acetate, a much less durable kind of plastic than bakelite.
I have a RASC badge marked F&G in a circle on the reverse, and a RMP marked A.STANLEY&SONS, WALSALL, and a RAOC marked MMMC.
You'll find that there are quite a few different Parachute Regiment badges, both in silver and the much rarer bronze plastic and with different shapes to the reverse.

Rgds,
fougasse1940.

engr9266 · #3 23-10-09, 10:34 AM

I have a Stanley made RE plastic badge that has a letter B on the rear of the crown near the top. This badge is thinner then another RE plastic I have and it also has the marking 111 122E123. The 111 is above 122E123 and the figures 111 are slightly larger then the other figures. The thicker badge has I-A on the back(this could be 1-A) Sorry, no picture as it comes out dark and the flash hides the markings.
Any ideas?
p.s. Is there a thread for plastic badges?
I now have another RE plastic badge that is rather battered but it has the same markings as the one above BUT has the letter A on the rear of the crown. This is not on the badges with marking 1-A. Can any forum member shed any light on this? Is it a Batch reference?

engr9266 · #4 24-10-09, 11:10 AM

I have a Stanley made RE plastic badge that has a letter B on the rear of the crown near the top. This badge is thinner then another RE plastic I have and it also has the marking 111 122E123. The 111 is above 122E123 and the figures 111 are slightly larger then the other figures. The thicker badge has I-A on the back(this could be 1-A) Sorry, no picture as it comes out dark and the flash hides the markings.
Any ideas?

I now have another RE plastic badge that is rather battered but it has the same markings as the one above BUT has the letter A on the rear of the crown. This is not on the badges with marking 1-A.
Can any forum member shed any light on this? Is it a Batch reference?
Resubmitted with extra text
p.s. Is there a thread for plastic badges?

Mike_2817 · #5 24-10-09, 12:11 PM

I have four 'Plastic' RAOC Badges in my collection

MMMC on badge body
F&S behind crown
No markings, 'Light Chocolate'
No markings or sign of blades ever being in place, 'Dark Chocolate'

engr9266 · #6 08-11-09, 11:44 AM

I see in your list there is a GSC Silver painted -A Stanley & Sons. K&K2278 (1A)
Can you say why this was done? If I wanted one do I just paint a spare? I have also seen, on ebay, I think, a light tan GSC plastic badge. Can you confirm if there is such a badge?
Look forward to your reply.

Alan O · #7 08-11-09, 06:33 PM

Jerry,

There was a light tan (bronze) GS badge made by Stantly and sons. I used to have one before selling it for a pittance and then found out it was worth 10 times that!

Later on in the war some plastic badges were painted by Stanley and sons to make them look more like metal ones. I have seen Gren Gaurds and I have a HLI that have had this done to them.

Alan

#8 08-11-09, 07:09 PM

Hi Stephen,
I have a Brown (not light brown) RASC one by Stanley with the following markings:

A. Stanley & Sons
Walsall
2-A

Hope it helps
Phil

engr9266 · #9 20-11-09, 01:04 AM

Can you tell me why they did this is:-GSC Silver painted A Stanley & Sons. K&K2278 (1A)??
SORRY I had already posted this

KLR · #10 20-11-09, 07:31 AM

and when, where, why ?
Was this a regimental initiative (plastic ones were hardly popular).
Was it the makers responding to such unpopularity
was there a WO directive

Alan, you mentioned 'later in the war' - do you have any references

I have seen an East Surrey Regt so painted, it looked wonderful.
Incidentally, there are two versions of the King's Regt - one in "silver" and one in "light bronze" (my album / regular/ 6th row/ nos 4 and 5). I've been over the papers at Kew and there is no mention of such a difference !

Alan O · #11 20-11-09, 08:00 AM

Julian,

The reference comes from the journal article on Bakelite badges. I have lost my copy but from memory they were painted by Stanley and Sons to make them look more like metal badges in response to the poor reception from the soldiery.

Alan

KLR · #12 20-11-09, 12:00 PM

Alan, you mean the two pieces by Marcus Cotton, thanks, I do have them (I think I have pdfs which I can send you) but I noted the original sources he gives and went off to Kew to look them up. After which I hadn't really been back to the articles - but I clearly must read them more carefully again !

Has anyone ever seen a painted King's Regt plastic badge - I (and others I know !) would give a right arm for one !

Alan O · #13 20-11-09, 12:02 PM

Yes I think it was in there. I would be grateful for the pdfs as I have lost mine.

Alan

engr9266 · #14 20-11-09, 09:55 PM

Why only a few? Would the Armoured Corps not paint theirs Silver to imitate WM/Chrome badges? And so on for all Regiments, Corps, Services, etc??

engr9266 · #15 01-12-09, 02:32 PM

I now have a "RARE" plastic badge in my collection..A GSC painted silver.......
As I will probably never ever find one I have taken a spare and yes you guessed I painted it silver! Is this wrong? It is only for MY collection, not for sale on you know where(for hugh profit) but it will sit with my other GSC plastic badges and if I am asked about it I will say I painted it myself to fill a space.
Sorry first picture is bit dark.