Khaki Posted 17 November , 2018 Share Posted 17 November , 2018 I have never seen this before, apart from the obvious maybe someone can tell me more. It is marked on the obverse BRITISH GREAT WAR VETERAN 1914.1918, the reverse has a wheel attachment with patent dates not readable , and sterling. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 17 November , 2018 Share Posted 17 November , 2018 (edited) Use of the word ‘British’ to differentiate (probably from the ‘Great’ American Civil War), and the flags as shields (a US cultural more - think Captain America) suggests that this was a lapel pin designed for an American market methinks. Edited 17 November , 2018 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 17 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2018 (edited) Thanks Frogsmile, I agree with your thoughts, I also wondered whether it may have been an association of GW British Vets living in the USA, or more likely an association of former British members of the AEF. ps even the crossed rifles look similar to the 1898 US krag, but that might just be artistic license Edited 17 November , 2018 by Khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 17 November , 2018 Share Posted 17 November , 2018 Crossed flags or joined shields can denote exchange in some way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 18 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 18 November , 2018 Thanks Scalyback. did that occur between the US and Britain in significant numbers? I understand that some early AEF units were issued with SMLE's in 1917, but I can't imagine that any surviving doughboy's would form an association referring to themselves as British veterans regardless of how comradely their wartime cooperation was with the BEF. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 9 January , 2020 Share Posted 9 January , 2020 From what I can see, it's not a particularly good representation of the Union Jack/Flag. It seems to be lacking in white. That would again support it being an US made item for US veterans, rather than British residents in US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ypres1915 Posted 12 January , 2020 Share Posted 12 January , 2020 (edited) One thing to consider is the group of Americans who volunteered to fight on the Western Front before the US entered the War in 1917. I believe the estimate is between 40,000 to 60,000 Americans volunteered in the CEF (the official number is 35,612). My guess, there is another badge that has French and US shields. Perhaps they were made in the States and given to "Early" volunteers when they returned home or perhaps these vets formed a fraternal organization and these are a membership pin. Just a thought! Ypres Edited 13 January , 2020 by Ypres1915 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 12 January , 2020 Share Posted 12 January , 2020 (edited) I don’t think it would be inscribed with ‘British’ Great War Veteran (very specific) if it was for Americans, more likely for British veterans who had emigrated and created a fraternity similar to the ‘Old Contemptibles’ in Britain. Even allowing for a wish to avoid confusion with the American (Civil) Great War, it would simply be leave too much room for confusion. In any case I think it was known in the USA as the ‘European Great War’, or just European War. Edited 12 January , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ypres1915 Posted 13 January , 2020 Share Posted 13 January , 2020 Perhaps. With the upmost respect, I believe Americans refer to the Civil War as the "Civil War" not their "Great War" so there would be no reason for confusion. I am Canadian and live in a Border community, 45 minutes from the US border and have interacted and discussed WWI with many American collectors and sellers none of whom confuse the Great War with the Civil War. Just my experience though. Perhaps an American member could weigh in on this?? Ypres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 13 January , 2020 Share Posted 13 January , 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Ypres1915 said: Perhaps. With the upmost respect, I believe Americans refer to the Civil War as the "Civil War" not their "Great War" so there would be no reason for confusion. I am Canadian and live in a Border community, 45 minutes from the US border and have interacted and discussed WWI with many American collectors and sellers none of whom confuse the Great War with the Civil War. Just my experience though. Perhaps an American member could weigh in on this?? Ypres. You might well be correct, Ypres. I don’t think that Americans have referred to the ACW as their Great War in recent generations and indeed I’d not heard of such a thing before. It’s just that I read in relatively recent times some mention of the US referring to that war as the “Great War between the States”, which if true is I think a fair description. It struck a chime with me and that’s why I have remembered reading it. The post WW1 era in the US would still have recalled that war as a momentous event that affected far more of their families than WW1 did, and I recall that some ACW veterans were still alive. As you say, it would be interesting to learn the views of an American with good knowledge of his Nation’s history and associated etymology. Edited 13 January , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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