Church Lads Brigade (CLB) badges

[Alan24]

I thought I'd add these images here of a bronze medallion from the Winchester Diocesan Regiment.

About 35mm dia.

I suspect this dates from about 1910-1914.

I was interested in the word 'Regiment' which sounds more militaristic than the scouting movement. 

 

Regards

 

Alan.  

[KIWIWAYNE]

This Medallion for CLB - Junior Training Corps pictures below.    I recently obtained this medallion as part of a larger CLB medal collection.   Does anyone know any more about when this particular medallion was in use (WW1 - ?)

Thanks Wayne

[FROGSMILE]

49 minutes ago, KIWIWAYNE said:

This Medallion for CLB - Junior Training Corps pictures below.    I recently obtained this medallion as part of a larger CLB medal collection.   Does anyone know any more about when this particular medallion was in use (WW1 - ?)

Thanks Wayne

@conijoni  is the best person to answer your question, hopefully he will be drawn to this tag.

[KIWIWAYNE]

Thanks for the info. have sent a message as well.

W

[FROGSMILE]

On 29/04/2020 at 10:26, Alan24 said:

I thought I'd add these images here of a bronze medallion from the Winchester Diocesan Regiment.

About 35mm dia.

I suspect this dates from about 1910-1914.

I was interested in the word 'Regiment' which sounds more militaristic than the scouting movement. 

 

Regards

 

Alan.  

Apparently the brigade was structured by location. Each location (typically a diocese) had a regiment or a diocesan battalion, that then divided into battalions (South, Central, North East - Durham, Oldham, Rochdale, Bolton, Tameside) and then into companies. Generally, each regiment had more than one battalion and each battalion had more than one company.  The sense seems to have been one of soldiers of Christ and muscular Anglicanism.

[KIWIWAYNE]

Thanks Alan.   I have a number of these medals and medallions some with clasps 1914,15,16,,17,18 though not named.    I checked with the CLB website which is still operating as a youth organisation.   There is an historical section with further information - 125 years.    They must have had a fairly substantial influence / input prior to and during WW1.

W

[KIWIWAYNE]

The following link as mentioned above.    There is an historical section included.   CLCGB.org.uk - Church Lads & Church Girls Brigade

W

[FROGSMILE]

20 hours ago, KIWIWAYNE said:

The following link as mentioned above.    There is an historical section included.   CLCGB.org.uk - Church Lads & Church Girls Brigade

W

The green ribbon seems significant and very similar to the rifle green favoured by the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, with which the CLB had an association.  The Junior Training Corps was a particular CLB age group that stretched over those typical cadet years of 13 to 18, so in many cases it was a preparation ground for conscription even if it didn’t overtly say so.

[KIWIWAYNE]

Thanks for that, yes had noted the Kings Royal Rifle Corps connection with CLB, would be interesting to know more.    The ribbon is of worn condition (possibly WW1 era though the medallion looks to be of a more recent production.    Most of the CLB medals have year clasps which is helpful.    Having no inscriptions makes it impossible to trace them except when they are bought with an estate lot and it might be assumed that they were presented to the service person or their family.

W

[FROGSMILE]

3 hours ago, KIWIWAYNE said:

Thanks for that, yes had noted the Kings Royal Rifle Corps connection with CLB, would be interesting to know more.    The ribbon is of worn condition (possibly WW1 era though the medallion looks to be of a more recent production.    Most of the CLB medals have year clasps which is helpful.    Having no inscriptions makes it impossible to trace them except when they are bought with an estate lot and it might be assumed that they were presented to the service person or their family.

W

@conijoni really is the best person to take the explanation further, but he doesn’t seem to have seen the tag yet.  He’s a long standing forum member so I can only hope that he is well, as it’s unusual for him not to respond.

Edited 8 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[conijoni]

This is the JTC Silvered Medal. First introduced in 1929, it was awarded to a member of the JTC for good service, but only one could awarded per year per JTC section. Was withdrawn from regulations recently. Medal changed appearance. Early ones were hallmarked. This is a later non precious type circa 1970s. A worthy medal to win.

 

 

 

[FROGSMILE]

7 hours ago, conijoni said:

This is the JTC Silvered Medal. First introduced in 1929, it was awarded to a member of the JTC for good service, but only one could awarded per year per JTC section. Was withdrawn from regulations recently. Medal changed appearance. Early ones were hallmarked. This is a later non precious type circa 1970s. A worthy medal to win.

 

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I hope that you’re well.  I couldn’t find the medal anywhere and I’m sure that @KIWIWAYNE will be pleased to learn the details.

[KIWIWAYNE]

Thanks very much for the update and information provided as above.

kind regards, W.

[MBrockway]

On 03/10/2023 at 18:05, KIWIWAYNE said:

The following link as mentioned above.    There is an historical section included.   CLCGB.org.uk - Church Lads & Church Girls Brigade

W

I should add that our Pal @conijoni, above, is also an active member of the CLCGB Historical Section. 

As regards the links between the CLB and the KRRC, we have covered this extensively in various topics here on the Forum - a search will likely throw them up easily.

Mark

 

Edited 8 November , 2023 by MBrockway

[MBrockway]

On 04/10/2023 at 14:24, FROGSMILE said:

The green ribbon seems significant and very similar to the rifle green favoured by the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, with which the CLB had an association.  The Junior Training Corps was a particular CLB age group that stretched over those typical cadet years of 13 to 18, so in many cases it was a preparation ground for conscription even if it didn’t overtly say so.

IIRC, the Junior Corps, later the Junior Training Corps, was intended to act as a feeder unit into the main Church Lads' Brigade covering ages 10 to 14 years.  Older than that and the lads progressed into the main CLB units, which from 1911 onwards were recognised within the Territorial Cadet Force.  Recognition was achieved on a unit by unit basis, continuing well into the War.  It was not until AO 128 of April 1917 that the Church Lads' Brigade Cadets so recognised were affiliated to the KRRC.  It was at this point that they adopted the KRRC-style maltese cross cap badge.

Even after AO 128, each CLB Cadet unit continued to come under the military administration of their local county Territorial Force Association. 

The principal link between the two organisations was through Field Marshall Lord Grenfell, KRRC, who was a Colonel Commandant of the KRRC from 1898 to 1925 and Commandant of the Church Lads' Brigade from 1908 to 1925.  Grenfell Road in W11 is named after him and Grenfell Tower in turn was named for the road.  Grenfell was responsible for raising 16th Bn., KRRC (Church Lads' Brigade) in 1914.

 

Mark

 

Edited 8 November , 2023 by MBrockway
Additional info re administration by county TFAs

[FROGSMILE]

10 minutes ago, MBrockway said:

IIRC, the Junior Corps, later the Junior Training Corps, was intended to act as a feeder unit into the main Church Lads' Brigade covering ages 10 to 14 years.  Older than that and the lads progressed into the main CLB units, which from 1911 onwards were recognised within the Territorial Cadet Force.  Recognition was achieved on a unit by unit basis, continuing well into the War.  It was not until AO 128 of 1917 that the Church Lads' Brigade Cadets nationwide were affiliated to the KRRC.  It was at this point that they adopted the KRRC-style maltese cross cap badge.

The principal link between the two organisations was through Field Marshall Lord Grenfell, KRRC, who was a Colonel Commandant of the KRRC from 1898 to 1925 and Commandant of the Church Lads' Brigade from 1908 to 1925.  Grenfell Road in W11 is named after him and Grenfell Tower in turn was named for the road.  Grenfell was responsible for raising 16th Bn., KRRC (Church Lads' Brigade) in 1914.

 

Mark

 

As it turns out the medal is a very recent one and so why the dark green ribbon was chosen seems unclear and not necessarily anything to do with KRRC in the way that I had thought might be the case.  In short, irrelevant to WW1 it would seem.

Edited 8 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[BraddockBrigade]

On 03/10/2023 at 13:05, FROGSMILE said:

@conijoni  is the best person to answer your question, hopefully he will be drawn to this tag.

Unfortunately my friend and fellow CLCGB Historical Group member, Johnny Conn passed away in November 2023.

i will attempt to answer any queries that members of this forum may have.

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, BraddockBrigade said:

Unfortunately my friend and fellow CLCGB Historical Group member, Johnny Conn passed away in November 2023.

i will attempt to answer any queries that members of this forum may have.

I am very sorry to learn of his passing.  He has always been the most courteous man and frequently contributed to this forum.  I know that many forum members will be equally sad to hear of his loss. He had last  interacted here only recently, on 30th October. @Michelle Young 

Edited 9 December , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Michelle Young]

Thank you for letting the forum know of the death of Johnny Conn.  Condolences to his family and friends. 

[MBrockway]

Johnny Conn is a very great loss to the Forum and to the wider KRRC community. His knowledge on the Church Lads' Brigade was unsurpassed and he was also our primary link into the CLCGB's Historical Group. His 2015 book Ready and Willing - Irish Church Lads in the Great War and its 2020 Addendum are both excellent.  My copies are both very well thumbed! I've corresponded with Johnny on and off the Board for well over a decade and I will miss him greatly. Very sad news. Mark

 

Edited 10 December , 2023 by MBrockway

[BraddockBrigade]

On 03/10/2023 at 12:14, KIWIWAYNE said:

This Medallion for CLB - Junior Training Corps pictures below.    I recently obtained this medallion as part of a larger CLB medal collection.   Does anyone know any more about when this particular medallion was in use (WW1 - ?)

Thanks Wayne

Hi Wayne, I was working with the late Johnny Conn to investigate and catalogue variations of this JTC medal. I think this design was in use during the 1960’s-1970’s but need to confirm this.

As a collector of CLB medals and badges, I would be interested to see what others you purchased.