Mystery 'CW' Armlet

[Guzzman]

Hi all

I have a mystery which I hope we can solve between us!

I have recently purchased an armlet (see image below) of a pattern I have never seen before. It consists of a strip of navy-blue serge with a white metal fastening which states on it 'Made in England', 'Trade Mark', an image of crossed swords and some numbers and letters which I am unable to decipher. The design of the 'Crossed Swords' logo looks very like the Wilkinson's Swords logo still used on razor blades today.

The armlet itself has the letters 'C.W.' embroidered on it in yellow thread. Beneath this are the smaller letters 'R.N.' embroidered in red thread. On the back of the armlet, where the letters are embroidered, is a piece of canvas. All four letters are embroidered onto this piece of canvas. The armlet seems to have some age about it - a feeling reinforced by the thickness of the thread used, the style of lettering and the presence of the canvas on the back.

The 'R.N.' obviously stands for Royal Navy, but the only thing I could think of that the 'C.W.' could stand for is 'Commissions and Warrants'. This is where a rating, who displays suitable 'officer-like' qualities, is considered for promotion to an officer. The process starts with a recommendation from a divisional officer that a rating be considered as a CW (Commissions and Warrants, as I stated earlier) Candidate. If this is approved by the captain of the prospective candidate's ship, the candidate commences a year's probation and then appears before an official selection board. During wartime this process was greatly shortened.

I know that men selected as CW candidates during the Second World War either wore a white cap tally or a white band around their peaked cap to signify their status during their probationary period but I have been unable to find any information as to what was worn by candidates before the war.

The scheme for selecting ratings to become officers was actually much older than I thought. It had its origins in 1912 when the then First Sea Lord initiated the first scheme whereby Royal Navy ratings had a chance to gain a commission at a relatively young age.

Even in 1912 candidates presumably had to have something to indicate their status to everyone in their ship. An armlet would be ideal for this. I'm not saying that the armlet is necessarily that old or that that is what it was for. But so far I can come up with no other ideas. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Pete

[bobbluesboy]

Only other thing I can think of is maybe " Canteen Worker " who may have been in civies.Bob.

[Guzzman]

That's a really good idea Bob! I hadn't thought of that. That's quite possible - especially as I'd say it dates from the First World War. I'd racked my brains for ages to try and think of anything that could be represented by CW - and I never thought of that one. Now I just need to try and find some evidence ... Many thanks!

Pete

[mike_vee]

Possibly something to do with WW2 Royal Navy Coast Watch ?

"One of the units of the Royal Navy's Coast Watch. A team of sailors who are dedicated to the defense of the coast and establishments therin."

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205185170


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[btns]

The crossed swords logo was a trademark owned by Buttons Limited (founded 1907) and earlier by Thomas Carlyle, one of the founding companies of Buttons Limited.

[sailorbear]

Don't know if it has any relevance to the armlet, but in WW2, "CW" stood for Candidate for Wardroom and was used for ratings who were going for a commission at HMS King Alfred at Hove, or at least that's what Peter Bull says in his auto biography "To sea in a sieve" where he details his experience as a "CW" rating.

[Alex Rice]

Just to add my 5c worth. I have done a lot of research into Naval badges and have never seen candidate officers wearing armbands in the navy. I am highly doubtful that that is what it was for and the Coast Watch seems like a far more likely answer.
Cheers,
Alex

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Alex Rice

and the Coast Watch seems like a far more likely answer.

Looking at the IWM photo I can understand the need for an armband. The sailors are dressed in 'army khaki battledress ' and in a lot of circumstances would be wearing a helmet rather than their naval cap.

As "coast watching" would probably be a 'duty' (same as guard duty) they would need some temporary means of identification.


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[mike_vee]

Got it !

I was wrong about WW2 but right about Coast Watching , from the IWM :

"Mine disposal in the First World War: a mine washed up on the Kent coast, attended by Coast Watching Service (note armbands)."

Photo © IWM Q 102204

[royston]

Well done Mike for finding the photograph of someone wearing "the armband"
I will put an unidentified badge on another thread to see if anyone recognises it.

Most of my RN badges have now been disposed of since I now concentrate on RND, RNAS, RNMBR and 1WW WRNS (See Album) however, I have kept a few which have intrigued me.

New thread coming up as WCP.

John

By the way, ex RN of 33+ years.

[Guzzman]

Thank-you everyone for your contributions!

And especial thanks to Mike for identifying it and for actually finding a photo of it being worn!

It has the look of something from the Great War and at least I was right on that bit.

Thanks again

Pete

[Guzzman]

Having finally identified the armlet as being for the Coast Watching Service (many thanks again), I've been trying to find out something about the Coast Watching Service itself. So far I have drawn a blank.

Does anyone know anything about this organisation or have any information on it? I can guess a few details from the photograph but any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Pete

[Wooffy]

During WW1 there were a number of ways that Boy Scouts (as they were then known) aided the war effort. Coast Watching was one of them. There is a resource here which includes an image of a "Divisional Coast Watching Officer inspecting a Sea Scout Patrol, 1914" It also comments that the scouts were supervised by members of the Coastguard.

So - could it be that Coast Watching duties fall under the Coast Guard in WW1 in some areas?

I did find this about Coast Watching in Northern Ireland which made for interesting reading too (but I suspect you have seen it).

[Guzzman]

Hi Wooffy

Many thanks for the info - and I did find that piece about coast watching in Northern Ireland. It was at about the same time as you were posting your message!

I think it provides enough information to identify the role of the Coast Watching Service during the war.

In brief the details are as follows: -

The Coastguard Service provided a Reserve of trained men for the Royal Navy. However, the outbreak of war in 1914 and the call up of members of the Coastguard, left a manpower gap. Calls for volunteers were put out to fill the manpower shortages. A 1915 record in the National Archives records a poster offering rewards not only to those people volunteering as coast watchers, but also to civilians for "reporting sightings of enemy submarines, other craft and mines". As Wooffy stated, the manpower gap was also filled by Boy Scouts. Scouts, aged 14 and over, would work 12 hour shifts watching the coast, split between patrolling and manning lookout posts.

The civilian volunteers were also used for coast watching duties and formed an organisation known as the Coast Watching Service (CWS). The volunteers wore the armband that started this discussion. Virtually nothing is recorded about the CWS and the photo shown earlier is believed to be the only known picture of members of the organisation. The CWS was disbanded at the end of the war.

Pete

[Buttonman]

Found this in AN OFFICIAL HISTORY OF HM COASTGUARD by William Webb. Sorry about the poor scan quality.

David.