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Remembered Today:

Silver War Badge?


Walwyk

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I have a SWB in my possession, would the number on the back give me a clue as to whom it belonged? RAF5418

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I have a SWB in my possession, would the number on the back give me a clue as to whom it belonged? RAF5418

Yes it does, each number is unique to each recipient. Being an RAF issue it won't have been issued before April 1st 1918 when they were formed. I don't know where you would find the rolls for them, National Archives maybe?

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thank you for replying. In 2005 I wrote to the RAF in Gloucester, Personnel Management Agency, I quote '' the number you have quoted might relate to the number of the badge issued''

They could not help.

Are we sure RAF means Royal Air Force? I thought in WW1 the airforce was called the Royal Flying Corps or similar?

We had no airmen in our family then, but two soldiers, the badge was in my Dad's bit's. The two soldiers were his Uncles.

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The RAF was formed with the amalgamation of the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps 1st April 1918. All personnel from the RNAS & RFC became RAF after that date. The Armistice was not declared until 11th November 1918.

The Silver War Badges were prefixed RAF for the RAF, RN for the Royal Navy, A for Australian troops, C for Canadian troops, I for Indian troops, NZ for New Zealand troops, & SA for South African troops.

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The RAF was formed with the amalgamation of the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps 1st April 1918. All personnel from the RNAS & RFC became RAF after that date. The Armistice was not declared until 11th November 1918.

The Silver War Badges were prefixed RAF for the RAF, RN for the Royal Navy, A for Australian troops, C for Canadian troops, I for Indian troops, NZ for New Zealand troops, & SA for South African troops.

Thank you ,back to the drawing board then? I wont give up

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All you have to do is look it up in the RAF SWB roll at the National Archives in Kew. That will identify the recipient.

Have you done this? My daughter and I have gone round in circles on this website??? Help please.

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Walwyk,

You have to view these lists in person at the National Archives at Kew. They can be quite large volumes which contain all the lists containing who was awarded them, badge number, enlistment date, discharge date, reason for discharge. They are not on line.

Andy

post-1871-1211624471.jpg

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Have you done this? My daughter and I have gone round in circles on this website??? Help please.

Thanks for that, I'll try to get a cousin onto the job as I'm in France.

Susanne

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  • 4 weeks later...
Walwyk,

You have to view these lists in person at the National Archives at Kew. They can be quite large volumes which contain all the lists containing who was awarded them, badge number, enlistment date, discharge date, reason for discharge. They are not on line.

Andy

You might pick up this message even though time has gone by. Have you actually used/seen these S.War Badge registers? am I likely to get a result with just the number on the badge? I ask because I wrote to the NA and got a very informative 'bla bla bla' letter back which told me nothing except they didn't have RAF awards....I had sugessted that those letters might just be a coincidence. If I send my cousin she must be forarmed I think? Are you living in Southend? I lived in Thorpe Bay as a child. Susanne

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Hi Susanne,

These SWB rolls are listed with information such as name, number, when enlisted, when discharged, why discharged, Silver War Badge number, whether they served overseas.

I have never used the RAF Rolls so I do not know how many were issued to the RAF, but, to give you an example there are seven volumes of these rolls to the Rifle Brigade/K.R.R.C. all listed in numerical order by badge number. It would be a case of going through the Rolls to find the recipient, if they have the RAF Rolls there, maybe someone with knowledge of the RAF Rolls might be able to advise you if they are at Kew.

Yes I do live in Southend, used to live in Thorpe Bay as a child.

All the best

Andy

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Hi Susanne,

These SWB rolls are listed with information such as name, number, when enlisted, when discharged, why discharged, Silver War Badge number, whether they served overseas.

I have never used the RAF Rolls so I do not know how many were issued to the RAF, but, to give you an example there are seven volumes of these rolls to the Rifle Brigade/K.R.R.C. all listed in numerical order by badge number. It would be a case of going through the Rolls to find the recipient, if they have the RAF Rolls there, maybe someone with knowledge of the RAF Rolls might be able to advise you if they are at Kew.

Yes I do live in Southend, used to live in Thorpe Bay as a child.

All the best

Andy

Thanks for that. The NA says it has no lists for RAF SW badges. it refers to a file of correspondences, doesn't mention the registers! ???

I will percevere.

Parkanaur Ave and Thorpe Hall School?

Susanne

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A typical page from a Royal Artillery SWB Roll

Owen Hales

post-7986-1213963861.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

:huh: I wrote to Hendon and got try NA! so do we assume NO_ONE has or knows if there is a register of RAF Silver War Badges? 10.000 were issued. ref. to a book by W. Spencer Air Force Records for Family Historians chapter 10 any body got that book please?

reminder SWB RAF 5418.

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The SWB is actually the Silver WOUND Badge. It was given for soldiers wounded in combat during the war. :D

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The SWB is actually the Silver WOUND Badge. It was given for soldiers wounded in combat during the war. :D

It is actually the Silver WAR badge it is not exclusively for men wounded ,but rather anyone honourable discharged due to War Service,albiet Wounds,Stress, Frostbite,Neurasthenia,Old Age;Flat Feet,Piles,Scyatica,Varicose Veins,Being Time Expired{TF},& Other Medical Conditions,attributable to War Service @ Home or Abroad;{Many men received it without ever having left the UK}

It had to be applied for.

The RAF SWB Register is @ The NA

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The SWB is actually the Silver WOUND Badge. It was given for soldiers wounded in combat during the war. :D

The SWB is actually the Silver WAR Badge. 'Awarded' for being discharged from the services, wounds were just one of many reasons for the award.

Steve

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The SWB is actually the Silver WAR Badge. 'Awarded' for being discharged from the services, wounds were just one of many reasons for the award.

Steve

My grandad got his in the UK after being shot in the head by his own side on the ranges.

Dan

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Damn I thought atherwise. Yeah you guys are right. That was the most pointless, stupid post I have ever done. You are right.

Sorry :D

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Droocoo were you thinking Second World War German Silver Wound Badge?? Commonly referred to as the SWB?

I was racking my peanut little brain trying to figure out SWB then when it was stated as Silver War Badge, I was still somewhat confused. I assume now, after reading the descriptions given for the issue of this badge, that the Army Class "B" Badge is the one being discussed here.

Wow, I am going to have to work extra hard and stay late after class each night, if I ever hope to keep up with most of the discussions here. LOL

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Anyone not wholly familiar with the nomenclature related to British service awards of the Great War should start with Tom Tulloch-Marshall's Guide.

You will be so pleased you did!

Kind Regards,

SMJ

Droocoo were you thinking Second World War German Silver Wound Badge?? Commonly referred to as the SWB?

I was racking my peanut little brain trying to figure out SWB then when it was stated as Silver War Badge, I was still somewhat confused. I assume now, after reading the descriptions given for the issue of this badge, that the Army Class "B" Badge is the one being discussed here.

Wow, I am going to have to work extra hard and stay late after class each night, if I ever hope to keep up with most of the discussions here. LOL

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Many thanks for this link, I was not aware of it. I am primarily intersted in the Scond World War. However, there are some points of great interest to me in The Great War. These points will be in the form of a few questions iin the near future.

Again, many thanks for the link

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