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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

I.D Bracelet


ricasso

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Does anyone know if replica WW1 I.D Bracelets are available anywhere? I have to wear personal I.D due to a medical condition, I've always worn WW11 type dogtag's but would prefer something like the bracelet my Granddad wore while serving with the R.E (railway coy) on the western front and later Salonika, any ideas would be much appreciated.

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Try this.........I have a few of these in my Lincs collection.

20140306_163849_zps65ed4d58.jpg


A close up................

c06f9a4e-6822-4b1a-bfb4-8fb97ad12aad_zps

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Thanks for the pics. I always thought they were worn round the neck?

A pair of ID tags (official issue) - worn around the neck. ID bracelets like this one (unofficial, privately made) - worn anywhere and everywhere. I've heard of them being worn on every limb, in order to aid identification in the event of the man meeting a grisly end.

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I seem to remember reading somewhere that the early discs were not made of metal and only had the one hole. I thought they were on a cord around the neck. I also seem to remember that the man had two? When a body was found his personal belongings eg Pay book, letters. photos, watch, tobacco tin, lighter etc were put in a canvas bag and tied with the cord with the ID disc attached. This was used to identify the body and the belongings.

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Some more examples...........

c7635d64-831f-4734-9eaa-2a2fc9fc8b42_zps

These are the official issue types.

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I seem to remember reading somewhere that the early discs were not made of metal and only had the one hole. I thought they were on a cord around the neck...

The first officially issued British discs were made of aluminium with the round vulcanised fibre disc being a war-time implementation. The earliest issue of this vulcanised fibre disc that I've encountered was in September 1914 following on from its authorisation at the end of August (issue of the aluminium disc continued until stocks ran out, however, with both aluminium or fibre being issued throughout 1915 dependant on what was available (the latest issued aluminium that I've had in my collection was issued in 1917!)). The second (8 sided, two holed) vulcanised fibre disc wasn't authorised until September 1916 with first issues to soldiers on the Western Front taking place in November of that year (earlier to soldiers still in the UK). The aluminium disc and the two types of fibre disc were officially to be worn around the neck though examples can be found that were obviously worn as wrist tags (though these were likely to have been supplementary issues).

The 'private purchase' discs , as has been hinted at earlier, were a case of 'anything goes' really as regards style, manufacture and wear (these can also be found pre-dating the pre-war issue of the first official disc). The commonest use was as wrist tags and the style illustrated in post #3 which used French Mle.1881/15 blanks (or the style of) appears to have been about the most popular. There seems to have been an almost 'semi-official' issue of these and I suspect that some may have been freely available.

Dave.

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Thanks for clearing that up Dave. Nice to know my memory is still working to some extent!

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The 'private purchase' discs , as has been hinted at earlier, were a case of 'anything goes' really as regards style, manufacture and wear ... ...The commonest use was as wrist tags and the style illustrated in post #3 which used French Mle.1881/15 blanks ...

...some were Mle.1881/15 blanks marked up very crudely! ...

Dave

post-357-0-36248200-1418520445_thumb.jpg

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Does anyone know if replica WW1 I.D Bracelets are available anywhere?.

There's a seller on the French ebay site who sells blank, replica Mle.1881 and Mle.1881/15 discs (about 15 Euro for a pair or 10 Euros for a single (though this is for the single hole Mle.1881) if I recall correctly). He'll also stamp them up to your requirements if requested. Put a search on Ebay.fr for 'plaque d'identite' or similar and you should find him.

Dave.

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Many thanks for all your reply's, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for..I will endeavour to post a photo of Granddad that shows his bracelet, may be while though, lot's of paperwork to trawl through first!

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