King's Badge

[DirtyDick]

Hello

I have seen that a King's Badge was issued to service personnel discharged during the course of the War.

1) Was this similar in intention and application as the WW1 Silver War Badge, and does anyone know why so few appear to be around (I realise less casualties in WW2, although they don't seem to go for much money)?

2) Also, were these badges numbered or in anyway identifiable?

3) My grandfather was discharged in late-1941 after having been wounded during training (some fingers blown off by a thunderflash). He had previously served in France with the BEF and I presume his battalion was training for further service in N. Africa when it happened (he served in the Queen's Regiment TA; they seemed to have been there in 1942). Would he have qualified for the Badge?

Cheers

Richard

[BeppoSapone]

Originally posted by DirtyDick@Jul 4 2004, 06:12 AM
Hello

I have seen that a King's Badge was issued to service personnel discharged during the course of the War.

1) Was this similar in intention and application as the WW1 Silver War Badge, and does anyone know why so few appear to be around (I realise less casualties in WW2, although they don't seem to go for much money)?

2) Also, were these badges numbered or in anyway identifiable?

3) My grandfather was discharged in late-1941 after having been wounded during training (some fingers blown off by a thunderflash). He had previously served in France with the BEF and I presume his battalion was training for further service in N. Africa when it happened (he served in the Queen's Regiment TA; they seemed to have been there in 1942). Would he have qualified for the Badge?

Cheers

Richard

I asked about these badges in here a couple of months ago. If you can figure out how to search you will find it.

I saw dozens of these for sale at a local boot sale. Cheap, and in little cardboard boxes, still wrapped in cellophane.

No numbers at all, which made me question if they were genuine. I got one anyway, and have since found out that they were not supposed to have numbers.

You can guess the rest of the story. I have not seen the stall again!

[DirtyDick]

Cheers, Beppo, I thought I'd read that it shouldn't be numbered and was given in the same way as the WW1 SWB.

I have found a link with a transcript of a 1944 concerning the Badge, along with a picture of it. However, this site has a pop-up on it - even with google toolbar and other protection applied - so you might wish to prepare yourself to be irritated!

http://www.fortunecity.co.uk/meltingpot/ox...s/kingbdge.html

Richard

[Sgt Pilot Bernard Henson RAFVR]

Originally posted by DirtyDick@Jul 4 2004, 11:12 AM
Hello

I have seen that a King's Badge was issued to service personnel discharged during the course of the War.

1) Was this similar in intention and application as the WW1 Silver War Badge, and does anyone know why so few appear to be around (I realise less casualties in WW2, although they don't seem to go for much money)?

2) Also, were these badges numbered or in anyway identifiable?

3) My grandfather was discharged in late-1941 after having been wounded during training (some fingers blown off by a thunderflash). He had previously served in France with the BEF and I presume his battalion was training for further service in N. Africa when it happened (he served in the Queen's Regiment TA; they seemed to have been there in 1942). Would he have qualified for the Badge?

Cheers

Richard

Hi Agin Durty!
Although these badges were issued un numbered,the Boxes of issue were printed with an issue/award number,along with an issue Certificate that carried the recipients name & the corresponding Number to the box,however as with the WW1 War Badge they were & presumably are being worn by Recipients so awarded,hence their apparent de'arth,Recently there have appeared a number of these which I can only presume are "Old Stock" that have somehow found there way out of a Government repository onto the open market,which may explain Bepposapone's sighting somewhat,especially as they were still celo~wrapped & apparrently unissued,there are also miniature versions of these badges & chromium plated Miniature ones,all Genuine but probably later issues.
Your Grandfather would most definitely "qualified" for this badge,as did my Uncle Harold,RASC:who picked up a "Full" Beer Bottle in the Desert{Against Strict instructions}& lost the tops of his Fingers from his Right Hand,when the 'Booby Trap' Exploded{Silly Boy then proceeded to remove those on the Left hand whilst employed @ a Boulton Paul Woodworking Factory in Essex,Post War when he followed a piece of timber into a Bandsaw with his Left Hand~~~Very Nasty!!;You 'd have thought he'd have learn't!}
ATB Regards
Roger/Harry/Bernard/Me!

[BeppoSapone]

Originally posted by Sgt Pilot Bernard Henson RAFVR@Jul 4 2004, 10:25 AM

Although these badges were issued un numbered,the Boxes of issue were printed with an issue/award number,along with an issue Certificate that carried the recipients name & the corresponding Number to the box,however as with the WW1 War Badge they were & presumably are being worn by Recipients so awarded,hence their apparent de'arth,Recently there have appeared a number of these which I can only presume are "Old Stock" that have somehow found there way out of a Government repository onto the open market,which may explain Bepposapone's sighting somewhat,especially as they were still celo~wrapped & apparrently unissued,

This fits in with the "story" I was told. These were supposed to have been unearthed in the stores at an army camp and saved from the skip. Reminds me of the WW1 shoulder titles that surfaced around 25 years ago.

At the back of the stores in an army camp on Salisbury Plain were a number of small sealed boxes. They must have been there since 1918!

Someone opened one and found it full of mint, unissued, slip-on shoulder titles. All with white lettering on khaki, some on cloth and some on leather. Some of us "in the know" ended up with one of each, and very nice they are too.

I wonder what else is still around in warehouses and stores?

[Sgt Pilot Bernard Henson RAFVR]

Originally posted by BeppoSapone+Jul 9 2004, 01:35 PM-->

This fits in with the "story" I was told. These were supposed to have been unearthed in the stores at an army camp and saved from the skip. Reminds me of the WW1 shoulder titles that surfaced around 25 years ago.

At the back of the stores in an army camp on Salisbury Plain were a number of small sealed boxes. They must have been there since 1918!

Someone opened one and found it full of mint, unissued, slip-on shoulder titles. All with white lettering on khaki, some on cloth and some on leather. Some of us "in the know" ended up with one of each, and very nice they are too.

I wonder what else is still around in warehouses and stores? [/b]

I wonder????? <_<