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Remembered Today:

Interpreting Insignia & Patches 1


hen190782

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Good Afternoon

I am working with Orangelil who is managing the Castleton Lantern Project (http://castletonlanterns.co.uk/?tag=lantern-slides)

I have cropped insignia/patch/badge details from several of the slides and am looking for help to identify what they mean - apologies in advance for the quality!

There will be another couple of topics with other images.

Ref 06 RHS - Wounded stripes?

post-43948-0-35102300-1369504125_thumb.j

Ref 10 - meaning of Naval insignia

post-43948-0-01781300-1369504175_thumb.j

Ref 11 LHS - Cap badge ID?

post-43948-0-82579500-1369504276_thumb.j

Thanks

Nigel

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Horatio

Thanks - I take it that is the patch on the right arm. Any ideas on the left arm patch (I know that it is more difficult to distinguish).

Nigel

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It is the rank badge of a Naval Petty Officer.

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Staffey

Thanks, I thought that it might be but it is good to get confirmation.

Nigel

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Nigel,

Ref 10. Artisan Branch.

As a Petty Officer with that combination of badges he could have been a Joiner, Shipwright 1st or 2nd class, Blacksmith, Plumber, Painter 1st class, or a Cooper.

Regards,

David.

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Two brass strips are indeed wound stripes. They were not issued in brass and had to be purchased. They were popular in metal as they could be readily transferred from one jacket to another.

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Ref 06 RHS - Wounded stripes?

post-43948-0-35102300-1369504125_thumb.j

Ref 11 LHS - Cap badge ID?

post-43948-0-82579500-1369504276_thumb.j

No.6, these are Wounded Stripes, but they are the official gold braid version and not the later unofficial metal ones - note the way they bend and match the creases in the lower sleeve.

No.11, although badly photographed, is almost certainly an artillery cap badge, either RFA, RHA, RGA, etc:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW1-ROYAL-ARTILLERY-CAP-BADGE-MOVING-WHEEL-VARIETY-100-ORIGINAL-GUARANTEED-/130918455808?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item1e7b591a00#ht_208wt_1251

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The enclosed images show both the cloth stripes as worn in your photo and the gilding metal type that was often purchased by the soldiers. The colour image of a soldier shows how the badges were worn and also illustrates the apperance of the cross hached type of chevron.

post-599-0-69336700-1369851133_thumb.jpg

post-599-0-86856600-1369851143_thumb.jpg

post-599-0-99165300-1369851152_thumb.jpg

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Thanks for all your help and ideas on the 5 topics Nigel has posted in relation to castleton lanterns. Perhaps a silly question, but please forgive my ignorance.

Were the wound stripes issued for all kinds of injury or just particular kinds and were they only issued if the soldier remained in the army? Also were they worn as a badge of honour or was there another reason for wearing them?

Thanks

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Orangelil

I am not an expert on reasons for issue but, according to other topics on GWF, the Wounded Stripes were regarded as badges of Honour by the wearers. It also enabled commanders to identify men who would be dependable in a tight situation and it would, no doubt, be encouraging for raw recruits to known that they were alongside "old hands".

Nigel

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Thanks for all your help and ideas on the 5 topics Nigel has posted in relation to castleton lanterns. Perhaps a silly question, but please forgive my ignorance.

Were the wound stripes issued for all kinds of injury or just particular kinds and were they only issued if the soldier remained in the army? Also were they worn as a badge of honour or was there another reason for wearing them?

Thanks

I thought that there was quite a good explanation in this thread, which you might like to read: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=161850

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