Unusual Cardboard Volunteer Force Badge

[badger123456]

My wonderful kids bought me this very unusual cardboard badge as a Christmas present. The fact that cardboard badge has survived 100 years is pretty amazing.

 

I collect to the York and Lancaster Regiment and the 17th Battalion West Riding Volunteer Regiment was a Volunteer Training Corps unit based in Sheffield which eventually became the 1st Battalion Sheffield Volunteer Defence Corps and then the 3rd Volunteer Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment.

 

From the looks of it, the badge was meant to be worn on the arm of a recruit to the regiment (presumably whilst still wearing civvies) until the recruit passed out and was issued a uniform and insignia. What is interesting is that it was meant to be handed into the orderly room when the recruit passed out so it begs the question, did this chap never actually pass out and retained the badge rather than hand it back?

 

I also have 2 other questions. Firstly, I can make out the name Arthur Makin but cannot make out the wording underneath. Any ideas anyone?

 

Secondly, in all my years of collecting badges (including WW1 volunteer badges) I have never come across such an unusual and presumably rare cardboard badge so if anyone has any information about these type of badges I would very much appreciate it.

 

I have included this badge along with my other WW1 and York and Lancs badges on my website under Volunteer Training Corps with a little more information https://www.yorkandlancasterregimentbadges.com/ 

 

Many thanks

[Sepoy]

All I can say is "wow".

To find any named VTC/Vounteer Battalion items is rare, but I have never come across any cardboard badges and my interest goes back 45 years plus....

Sepoy

[Dave66]

Many thanks for sharing such a scarce and fascinating piece of history, 

It's another "wow" from me.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Dave

 

 

[badger123456]

Yes, I consider myself fortunate that this fell into my lap. 

 

Has anyone seen or heard of anything similar?

 

[badger123456]

10 hours ago, Sepoy said:

All I can say is "wow".

To find any named VTC/Vounteer Battalion items is rare, but I have never come across any cardboard badges and my interest goes back 45 years plus....

Sepoy

Somewhere I have a 1914 pattern leather belt that is marked on the inside with 17 WRV. I'll have to dig it out and put up a picture.

Edited 6 January , 2018 by badger123456

[badger123456]

Not named I'm afraid but this belt is marked to the same battalion as the cardboard badge.

[Dave66]

Can't say I've seen or heard of or seen anything similar....but logically a cheap and disposable initial form of identification, hence the very low survival rate...not even sure if they would been issued nationally or at a localised battalion level, you may find a period photograph somewhere....that would prove interesting.

Have you started researching Arthur Makin yet?

 

Dave.

 

 

 

 

[badger123456]

No Dave, haven't started researching Arthur Makin yet (spookily, his name is almost identical to my Grandfathers name which got me a little excited when I first saw the badge) but will start shortly.

 

Bearing in mind the 17th WRV became the 1st Battalion of the Sheffield Defence Force, it seems likely this is a Sheffield or South Yorkshire man. (16th WRV were from Rotherham and the 18th WRV became the 2nd Battalion of the Sheffield Defence Force). Looking at the space on the badge to write in a battalion number, the badges must have been produced for all 3 battalions to use so presumably produced at a local level?

 

Cheers and thanks

Edited 7 January , 2018 by badger123456