Regimental Cap Badges

[Khaki]

Were GW cap badges ever machine woven, as an economy measure, it must have been possible.

 

khaki

[FROGSMILE]

11 hours ago, Khaki said:

Were GW cap badges ever machine woven, as an economy measure, it must have been possible.

 

khaki

 

I have never seen any from the GW so I believe that the answer is no, khaki.

[wmfinch]

Hello Khaki,

 

This is a photograph of my Grandmother Nellie Evans (nee Wright), who was a Cutter in the Women''s Forestry Service during 1917/18.

 

My research has led me to believe that the WFS came under the Board of Trade, but the Uniforms were provided by the Women's Land Army which came under the War Dept. I also believe that there were only about 2000 women enrolled into the WFS, making this a really rare photograph.

 

Nellie is clearly wearing a cloth cap badge, and I wonder if it was uneconomic to produce metal badges in such small quantities.  

 

I reckon this this could qualify as a 1st World War cloth cap badge........what do you think?

 

V/R

 

Wayne

 

 

[Khaki]

Thanks for the replies,

I would imagine that it would qualify as a GW badge, nice photo, and as you say a rare one, I wonder if any of the badges have survived?

 

regards

khaki

[wmfinch]

Hello Khaki,

 

There Is one in the IWM, but if any others are out there, I cannot find one....I've been searching on and off for about 3 years.  I cannot even find a repro one.  Evidently, the cap badges were designed by one of the women, but as to who manufactured them, I have no idea.  The Cutter's badge depicts two axes and a cross saw.

 

I think the Women's Forestry Service during WW1 is relatively unknown in the present day, but at least this wonderful Forum gives opportunities to raise awareness about the Women.  There was also another type of cloth cap badge mainly worn by the Measurers, which looks like a fir tree.  The Measurers were mainly supervisors in the timber yards who calculated the lengths of wood needed to be cut.  In all, there were approx 300 Measurers and 1700 Cutters in the Women's Forestry Service during WW1, so a Measurers cap badge would be even rarer that a Cutters cap badge!

 

If anyone knows where I could purchase one, PLEASE let mr know!

 

V/R

 

Wayne

[FROGSMILE]

Great posts Wayne. I have seen Women’s Forestry Workers of the GW in a few photos before, but not with the cap badge apparent.  Very interesting, thank you for posting. I wonder if there are any other examples.  I do recall seeing cloth shoulder titles used as pro tem cap badges, but they probably don’t count.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

29 minutes ago, wmfinch said:

 

If anyone knows where I could purchase one, PLEASE let mr know!

 

There are many companies around who will embroider any pattern onto virtually any material.

This is how you make specialised souvenir fleeces, hats, sweatshirts for any organization you care to think of.

All you need to do is supply the company with your design- if you could get a scan or photo of an original- they can work from that.

 

This is a company near me, my wife deals with them extensively, and they are very good.

You would pay an initial design and setting up fee ( I can't recall how much that was, but I think in the tens of pounds), then you can use that design over and over again for only a few pounds a time (plus the cost of the material/cap/hat/sweatshirt etc.), or even take the design to a different manufacturer.

Obviously for a one off run, the overheads would be very high, but you might want to consider going into the repro market, selling such items to enthusiasts?

I can forward you their details if you like, but I bet there's a similar company near you.

 

 

[wmfinch]

Hello Dai Bach y Sowldiwr,

 

First of all, many thanks for your interest.  I've just been into my local medal shop and they may know of a local company and will contact them to ask.  If that doesn't come to fruition, I'll be back in touch if that is OK?

 

Khaki and Frogsmil, here's another photograph of Nellie with two of her comrades, plus the patterns of the badges.

 

Nellie is pictured on the left, and I used to think she was a Sergeant because of her armband with the stripes.  However, subsequest research has led me to discover that the stripes were 'length of service' stripes....perhaps one for every three months of service.

 

Thank God she kept the original photo's or I would never have known about her War Service.

 

V/R

 

Wayne