Bob Chandler Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 Afternoon all, Have been looking at various GWF posts and on other sites today and am just looking for a little clarification...was the triangular 'On War Service' badge worn ONLY by munitions workers or were there other areas of war work which would have entitled someone to wear it? I.e. did it purely indicate that you were a munitions worker? Cheers Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elstevo Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 I think the triangular ones were issued by the ministry for munitions.... so I suppose yes. All workers would have been granted the badge though, including clerical positions, so the badge didn't exactly imply the wearer worked on the production line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inspector Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 Hi They were issued to workers in munitions factories whether they were on the production line or clerical, skilled/unskilled, canteen workers or charladies. Issued by War Ministry from May 1916. Previous private company badges were made illegal. Regards Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val H Posted 7 May , 2014 Share Posted 7 May , 2014 My great gran was a munitions worker near Thatcham in Berkshire. I have a picture of her in her munitions whites....... I did quite a bit of work researching the picture and her triangular on war service badge. the badge was not just for munitions workers or people working in the factories. The standardised national badge ( which superseded a variety of other local and company badges) was issued in various formats but the triangular one my great gran was wearing was only issued in 1916 so that allows me to date the picture as 1916+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inspector Posted 7 May , 2014 Share Posted 7 May , 2014 Hi Val I'm interested to know where you got the info. that the triangular on war service badge issued to women was "not just for munitions workers or people working in the factories". The standardised national badge for women munitions workers was, according to numerous web sites, only issued in the triangular brooch form, Regards Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yelob Posted 13 May , 2014 Share Posted 13 May , 2014 Hi, Here's a pdf on the badges kindly given by forum member Chris when I asked a related question, there's info on the women's badge on the second page. http://tonyjamesnoteworld.biz/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/On_War_Service_Badges_2.pdf Regards,Liam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 14 May , 2014 Share Posted 14 May , 2014 Val, I live fairly close to Thatcham, do you know whereabouts she worked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tulloch-Marshall Posted 15 May , 2014 Share Posted 15 May , 2014 Hi, Here's a pdf on the badges kindly given by forum member Chris when I asked a related question, there's info on the women's badge on the second page. http://tonyjamesnoteworld.biz/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/On_War_Service_Badges_2.pdf Regards,Liam Interesting. If you check the acknowledgements at the end of the article mentioned above you will see that it was mainly drawn from two published articles written by me in 2001. My report on the OWS badges was based upon Ministry of Munitions and War Office papers held at TNA, and was, I hope, factual, rather than some of the speculative suggestions which have been made. Statements such as "... the triangular one my great gran was wearing was only issued in 1916 ..." are completely wrong. The "1916" triangular badge was the only badge which was officially issued to women and all of them bore the date 1916 regardless of whether they were issued in 1916, 1917, or 1918. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan24 Posted 18 February , 2023 Share Posted 18 February , 2023 I recently obtained an example of one of these badges which I assume is chrome plated. As far as I can tell it all looks 'right' as they say on Antiques Roadshow but I've never seen anything other than the brass version before. Has anyone come across the chrome version before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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