Forum Badge Guides

[Rockape]

Dear Fellow Members,

I have been reading recent threads regarding suggestions to aid those who are new to the art of collecting British & Commonwealth military badges etc. We currently have albums (some of which are private) and projects such as the magnificent Canadian badge images. However, the information in albums is scattered and sometimes does not have any extra detail that a beginner might find useful, like the likely period of use, fixings etc. This is rightly so as the created album was probably not intended for badge guides. Some members have already posted images and useful comments on badges they have collected in threads, but these are usually posted randomly, so the new user has to plough through searches (if they know how to search) to find something that might be of use.

I would like to propose adding a sub-section to each of the five main badge forums currently in existence with the heading <Forum Heading> Badge Guide. The content of the badge guide should have the same template for each unit and this needs to be agreed upon by forum members, so contributions to the template design and volunteers to start the ball rolling are very welcome. An example of this would be 'Australian Military Insignia Badge Guide'.

Here are some of my general suggestions for the each badge guide: Each guide should be focus on a unit and not just a single badge. For example:

Queen's own Worcestershire (Yeomanry) Hussars and Worcestershire Hussars Imperial Yeomanry

This heading would incorporate badges/titles/flashes from this unit. For infantry territorial/volunteer units that are parented by a major unit could be incorporated or remain separate. This will need to be agreed upon by members.

The information and images supplied should be of a certain image quality and there is a need to prevent erroneous badges making an appearance and ruining the guide, so a contributor will need to find someone who can verify the badges before posting. The badge guide should be just that...create a guide and use it as a reference. You may have questions regarding the images or require further information. Discussion of a guide/badge should be outside the badge guide sub-forum in the main <Forum Heading> area, thus leaving the badge guide free from misleading or irrelevant information. I believe this can be achieved by asking a moderator to make the thread 'read-only'.

A sensible suggestion from Mike (ID=1) is that we start with a single sub forum and go from there.

So, now I'm handing the microphone over to other members for your valuable input. Let’s see what we can achieve by collaborating on a worthwhile project.

Sincerely,

Garry

[Charlie585]

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[billy]

Surely if a badge where to get the thumbs up in say the "General" thread site or even a panel of 4 "GURU,S" as they where aptly named passes them as 100% its then included but if for instance there was a degree of doubt? 3 for-one against! could this still not be included but in red say! so one knows there is a degree of doubt but user beware? or would this murky the waters and only "PURE" 100% information be acceptable?
Like others I find this idea a no brainer and thought such an area existed when first joined! have trawled the Search function and Albums and come away frustrated and no answer! look forward to seeing this work.
I think the first step will be to set up a simple start point for instance 1914 War period with sub headings that correspond to a Reference source (Gaynor,s for instance) Cavalry, then Infantry of the line, Economy issue badges with orders of precedence to those as sub headings and then filled out with any information forum users wish incorporated! I have only picked out 1st W.W. as an example from there you can go forwards most of us have badges starting here! prior to this period is a more rariified sphere of collecting as scarcity/price makes the amount of people wishing to visit this area that much less, but none the less this can come later! as a starting point perhaps with the Anniversary only a short step away it might be an idea?
cheers billy

[ubervamp]

I would just like to second everything that's been proposed here!
I've no doubt this would provide a useful guide/refence for all members alike.
A dissemination of valuable knowledge, with input from (hopefully) lot's of contributors.

My interest lies in WW1 cap badges, and as I continue to collect and increase my knowledge in the field, I was planning to spend Autumn and Winter producing an album/albums with high quality pix, and info on the badges, and also references to the regiments/battalions that wore them (battle honours, nicknames, etc). I've haven't landed on what themes would be presented, but something like WW1 Infantry Eco - badges, WW1 Corps and Services, etc., etc.

Still in the planning, and amassing stage, but if this could tie in with a wider forum project, I'd be more than happy, if neccessary, to adopt a variant approach, and contribute where I can.

Basically a very cool idea!

Colin

[ubervamp]

After a coffee and politically incorrect cigarette I've a few more thoughts reagarding this;

I suppose there are several ways of presenting a reference library as such.
One would be a "general overview" of, say, cap badges of WW1 Infantry of the Line. This would be on par with the CEF album.
This is a great way to get an overview, and help identifying badges (genuine badges!) In response to my very first post on the forum I was kindly offered pics and such a list from a member which helped me immensly.

In addition, I know a lot (most) of the contributing members have one or two areas (regiments?)about which they are particularly knowledgeable.
It would be great to be able to mine that knowledge, if one is interested in the same or similar regiment/period. It might be an idea to reference these albums from a general overview. Just the other day I was checking out the CEF battalions album, and appreciated the layout, but found upon clicking on the one battalion I was most interested in no further information.

I suppose more specialised information again takes two forms:
One, physical attributes: Design, Fittings, Variations, etc.

Another would be a wider information on the given subject (battalion) such as battle record, regimental history, etc.

Personally, a badge holds both these dimensions for me, and when studying a badge I find I'd like to know more about the symbolism and history of the badge and who wore it and where.

Ok - rambling on a bit here.
(Caffeine and nicotine induced)

In short - still a very cool idea, no matter how it's finalized

Colin

[Rockape]

Dear Ry, Billy and Colin,

Thank you for contributing to the discussion so far and the encouraging words of support. I thought I would leave the thread for one week to see what the general feeling was from members about badge guides. There are approximately 200 - 350 members who login each day to view and sometimes contribute to threads. So potentially, there are lots of members who view this discussion.

I can understand perhaps that you want to see how it pans out with just a few of us discussing this, but by not contributing, your voice is unheard and any decisions that are made will have been made without your input. This is your chance to shape a project that is of benefit to all forum members and not just a select few. Of course, newer members will find the guides useful as others have indicated such as the respondents so far. So come on, tell me how you would like it shaped and even the bad bits - what don't you want to see?

If you like I can start the ball rolling.... For example how do we approach a badge guide from a unit where badges exist but there is no evidence found so far of its use?

I will leave the discussion alone once again, hoping for more input.

Garry

[KingHouse]

Originally Posted by ubervamp

After a coffee and politically incorrect cigarette I've a few more thoughts reagarding this;

I suppose there are several ways of presenting a reference library as such.
One would be a "general overview" of, say, cap badges of WW1 Infantry of the Line. This would be on par with the CEF album.
This is a great way to get an overview, and help identifying badges (genuine badges!) In response to my very first post on the forum I was kindly offered pics and such a list from a member which helped me immensly.

In addition, I know a lot (most) of the contributing members have one or two areas (regiments?)about which they are particularly knowledgeable.
It would be great to be able to mine that knowledge, if one is interested in the same or similar regiment/period. It might be an idea to reference these albums from a general overview. Just the other day I was checking out the CEF battalions album, and appreciated the layout, but found upon clicking on the one battalion I was most interested in no further information.

I suppose more specialised information again takes two forms:
One, physical attributes: Design, Fittings, Variations, etc.

Another would be a wider information on the given subject (battalion) such as battle record, regimental history, etc.

Personally, a badge holds both these dimensions for me, and when studying a badge I find I'd like to know more about the symbolism and history of the badge and who wore it and where.

Ok - rambling on a bit here.
(Caffeine and nicotine induced)

In short - still a very cool idea, no matter how it's finalized

Colin

I feel this would be very helpful for a rookie like me.

[2747andy]

Guys,
I've being working on a "Collectors Guide(s)" for the past few years and amassed several thousand badges in the process! I think the proposed system here on the Forum is very praiseworthy, but I will not be taking part (hooray many shout!!). As there could well be conflict in the future?

Good luck!

Andy

[Charlie585]

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[Old Smelly]

This is a very good idea and could work, although there are many images already throughout the threads and albums showing both good and bad. It could be good to have guides for particular badges but with many of the standard ones it would still only be a guide.
There are so many variations, especially for the WW1 mass produced types that there is often disagreement as to what is a right badge. I have some that look absolutely awful but I am sure they are 100% as, for example, 'I got it from a house clearance in a WW1 gift tin with the mans dog tags etc'.(this is from personal experience, I guess provenance proves a lot if you have it)
For many cap badges there are the know variants, known makers etc, which would be good to show as a guide but there are also the other variations, private purchase, bazaar made etc, that could be dismissed as fake if not mentioned.
Sorry if I'm rambling
Lee

[billy]

Hi Lee no-one is going to notice unless there is something to compare against! so a title North Irish Horse could house correct badge patterns and variants like theatre made badges?
Perhaps a photo front & rear with name 19--, smaller variant 19--, economy issue 19--, Officers pattern, Silver Bronze?, detailed information on badge , sliddered & lugged? arm badges, divisional flashes to this regiment (it could get long but all information at a glance) for any user here it would be a one stop shop if you cant find what you need ask in General section, I can see the benefits of this but also a lot of work can we cut and paste Wikipedia? Garry look what you started! cheers billy

[Mike]

It would be useful for me if info on when particular patterns of metal shoulder titles were worn could be added. It's generally not clear from Westlake.

[jubilationtcornpone]

Garry et al,

I have been reading this thread and doing some thinking about it. First let me share my background. I was by training and employment a professional librarian. I am now retired. What I did was organize and retrieve information. Organizing information is not that difficult, at least in theory. Retrieving information is. I cannot possibly predict what every potential user will want to know except in general terms. My question then is a badge guide to...what? I think a poll should be run to see what information members think should be included. Three things come to my mind, dates the unit was in existence, known variations, and, how to spot reproductions. Keep it simple. Imagine creating a guide, just providing information answering these three questions, for the Leeds Pals as opposed to The Black Watch. It becomes very easy to get lost in a forest when one should be thinking tree.

Just a few thoughts off the top of my head on a Thursday afternoon.

Regards,

Don

[2747andy]

Removed by poster

[Rockape]

Andy,

Aren't you a bit off-topic here? This thread is about future forum badge guides including the format and detail of what a guide should contain. Your latest post has little relevance here. You also eliminated yourself as a participant in badge guides in an earlier post (#15), saying that you have been and will be working on your own guides.

My commitment to this project is in the balance due to my workload at the moment. I will know by December whether I can commit to this or not.

Garry