Muerrisch Posted 23 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 November , 2008 The scout badge! Fastened to uniform with three hooks and eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 26 November , 2008 Share Posted 26 November , 2008 Hello Grumpy, Another one for you... I've had this for years, but I've never seen one in a photo. MG Prize badge, I would guess from the 30s. Can anyone show this in earlier Great War usage?? Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 27 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 27 November , 2008 Only a brief official existence 1928 to 1931, and not authorised in GM according to PVCN 1929 ....looks like a good unit-made version, demi-official at best but a lovely piece. Even the star is authentic looking. Many thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 27 November , 2008 Share Posted 27 November , 2008 Only a brief official existence 1928 to 1931, and not authorised in GM according to PVCN 1929 ....looks like a good unit-made version, demi-official at best but a lovely piece. Even the star is authentic looking. Many thanks for sharing. When you say unit-made do you mean by cutting up official badges and crafting unofficial ones? I doubt very much that they would have had the facility to do something so sophisticated as that. More likely in my opinion a commercial affair from a military badges and regalia company such as Toye Kenning and Spencer or Hobson & Sons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 27 November , 2008 Share Posted 27 November , 2008 Morning Grumpy, As I mentioned I acquired this about 20 years ago. It came originally with a group of badges said to have been tailors samples. Several of them had the stars and some were identical quality tradesmen's badges. I passed the rest onto another collector some time ago but I'm sure he could supply scans to you if they are of interest. I doubt whether they are of unit manufacture, but I do think they may have been fabricated by a badge manufacturer from their existing stock. I suppose this would fit with the tailor story...they may have been produced for only a short time and never used hence survival in mint condition. (this badge still has all its gilding although this is not obvious from the scan) Regards Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 27 November , 2008 Share Posted 27 November , 2008 Or possibly ordered privately direct from a manufacturer by the unit in question and having to buy a minimum number? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 27 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 27 November , 2008 Thanks to all for contributions on the MG wreath star badge. Cannot buy theory that it was a unit purchase ....... only one was needed per unit per annum! Best Cpl or below in MG coy/platoon etc of a battalion. I should have asked .... the obvious physical weak part is the join star.wreath ..... is it brazed, or reinforced, or whatever? Interesting that it is mint ..... the RACD was often asking for samples of badges to be made to a pattern, and not all got into production. There is a story behind every artefact, of course. Will PM tocemma to enquire about further scans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 2 December , 2008 Share Posted 2 December , 2008 Hello all, MG qualification badge worn on the wrong sleeve, what's the betting he's got one on the left sleeve as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 2 December , 2008 Share Posted 2 December , 2008 And another, I may have posted this one in the past, if so apologies. London Regiment CSM Lovely worsted crown, shooting badge GM. Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 2 December , 2008 Share Posted 2 December , 2008 TF, London Regiment, Stretcher Bearer badge as illustrated in one of my previous posts. Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 2 December , 2008 Share Posted 2 December , 2008 Grumpy Sapper RQMS?? He seems to have both badges of appointment here! Crown-above 8 pointed star- above what seem to be inverted chevrons. It could be a pointed cuff of course, but what is going on here...... Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 3 December , 2008 Share Posted 3 December , 2008 (edited) The full image....hands down winner of the 1918 Kit Monster Competition. I've never seen so much kit on one man. RE RQMS late '17 early '18 To whit: Steel Helmet and cover, fur waistcoat, pistol lanyard, box respirator in full marching order position ie on top of the valise, Pattern '14 Equipment with Officers pistol case, valise, haversack, reserve tube helmet, binocular case, wristlets, knitted gloves, issue leather mittens over both, Officers breeches, 'Norwegian' pattern trench boots and last but not least a walking stick made from a British lance with a Royal Engineers badge attached. (plus the aforementioned seemingly two sets of appointment badges) Blimey Tocemma Edited 20 September , 2018 by tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 3 December , 2008 Share Posted 3 December , 2008 Wonder where he put his pacestick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 December , 2008 Share Posted 3 December , 2008 The full image....hands down winner of the 1918 Kit Monster Competition. I've never seen so much kit on one man. RE RQMS late '17 early '18 To whit: Steel Helmet and cover, fur waistcoat, pistol lanyard, box respirator in full marching order position ie on top of the valise, Pattern '14 Equipment with Officers pistol case, valise, haversack, reserve tube helmet, binocular case, wristlets, knitted gloves, issue leather mittens over both, Officers breeches, 'Norwegian' pattern trench boots and last but not least a walking stick made from a British lance with a Royal Engineers badge attached. (plus the aforementioned seemingly two sets of appointment badges) Blimey Tocemma A particularly interesting photo. Badges of rank across the Army's 'Arms and Services' began to be standardised after 1915 with a further change in 1918, but did not really settle down until after 1920. Titles of appointments still varied a great deal between the big Corps (RE, RA, ASC, AOC etc) as the system of rank and appointment (e.g. WOII (RQMS)) had not had sufficient time to 'bed in' and we would need to refer to the relevant section in KRs to see those that applied to the RE at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 3 December , 2008 Share Posted 3 December , 2008 Wonder where he put his pacestick! That probably accounts for his inscrutable smile... Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 3 December , 2008 Author Share Posted 3 December , 2008 Tocemma, firstly thank you for the super new photos, much appreciated. As for the mystery man ...... accepting he is RE, and accepting the dating is correct, and, for the moment, accepting that he has some well hidden chevrons lower cuff: The 8 point star is strongly indicative of the appointment of QMS. If in his rank and in that appointment as war broke out, the elevation of his status to WO II in 1915 should have meant that he wore the crown ... only. Until 1918 there was nothing to distinguish a QMS from other WO II. This was acknowleged in the reforms of 1918, when he was given a wreath round his crown. So, yes, I think he is the QMS at WO II rank, and as to his chevrons, I don't think they matter whether real or imaginery. Nothing in KR or CR to treat RE differently from infantry in these respects except ...... where is the grenade, supposed to be worn by full sergeant and above RE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 3 December , 2008 Share Posted 3 December , 2008 Hello Grumpy, The only evidence for an RE identification is the cap badge folded around the shaft of the lance/walking stick. This is a lot clearer on the original photo. For obvious reasons I usually post these images at low resolution to avoid anything other than casual internet pinching! As to the date this is a little less easy to figure out. He still has a back up tube helmet in its bag under his left arm. These were officially not required after February 1918, but as with all these dates some individuals may have retained them a little longer. So my best guess would be late 17 very early 18. Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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