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On War Service Badges


leon21

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"On War Service"

 

These badges were worn by civilians during WW1 in order to indicate the person wearing it was engaged on important

war work. Before conscription was introduced in 1916 the Army relied on voluntary recruitment of men, and any man

not wearing a karki uniform could be chastised in the street and accused of shirking or avoiding joining up and not doing

their duty to their king and country. The badges were intended to prove the wearer was indeed doing their duty to their

country in a time of war.

 

The 1914 OWS.Badge was issued in 1914 by the Admiralty to workmen whose services were vital in the shipyards in the

completion and maintenace of H.M.Fleet of Ships and Armaments.

 

The 1915 OWS.Badge was issued by the Ministry of Munitions, the first pattern of this badge had a blue enamel rim similar

to the 1914 badge, but this was soon dropped in favour of a plain brass economy version.

 

The 1916 OWS.Badge was of a triangular shape issued after conscription had started in 1916 by the Ministry of Munitions,

it was intended solely for women engaged in urgent war work and had a brooch pin fitting on the reverse instead of a button

hole fitting used by men.

 

Unofficial/Company OWS.Badges.

 

Unofficial OWS.Badges began to appear very shortly after the Official Badge was introduced and by 1915 there were many

different types in circulation produced by private companies to support their workers.

These badges were later outlawed by Government Agencies in August 1915, Firms were instructed to withdraw these badges

and that official badges would be issued to them against successful applications from the (COWSB) Committee On War -

Service Badges.

Below is one of the company badges for ( On War Service Fairfield) permitted to be worn from March to June 1915 by the

War Office.

Fairfield shipbuilding and engineering company as was commonly called was situated in Goven on the south bank of the

river Clyde Glasgow, the yard built Warships, Submarines and a Train Ferry as well as many other types of crafts during

WW1. Also a couple of other company badges.post-3823-0-98991300-1461503639_thumb.jpgpost-3823-0-80067500-1461503655_thumb.jpgpost-3823-0-02862300-1461503697_thumb.jpg

 

And the Official badges.post-3823-0-79111000-1461503820_thumb.jpgpost-3823-0-45276000-1461503841_thumb.jpgpost-3823-0-31293200-1461503857_thumb.jpgpost-3823-0-75964700-1461503876_thumb.jpg

 

Some dealers of these unofficial OWS.Badges are asking very high prices for this type of badge, I've seen the Fairfield badge going

for between £50 to £65 which seems excessive to me.

Below is a photo of a munitions worker wearing her OWS.Badge, and a Greeting Card from a munitions worker.post-3823-0-61001900-1461511414_thumb.jpgpost-3823-0-70284300-1461511427_thumb.jpg

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I had the three normal versions for 1914, 15 and 16. Parted company with these many years ago. Managed to find in the past few years the 1914 and 15 versions again, but still not the triangular 1916 version. I also have a wartime postcard depicting a 1915 version and this is gold embossed on the card with a logo, "This proves I'm a worker, who can never be dubbed a shirker..." etc. Card must be quite rare these days.

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I like the 1916 triangular version best, not seen the 1915 postcard any chance you could post a photo of it for us all to see.

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The card is very similar to the one you have shown, but with the 1915 badge, I would say, most certainly from the same printing source. Rather difficult at the moment with new photos, my camera probably wouldn't be good enough and there is no fitting on my old computer anyway. Would have to be done over an outside source, at the same time, costly and complicated. Will try to eventually get one posted some time.

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  • 1 month later...

Been looking for one of these badges for a long time, managed to find one at the weekend.

 

It's a WW1 Volunteer Workers Badge awarded to people working to support the Armed Forces in a variety of ways on a

voluntary basis during WW1, all the workers were volunteers with no Military Affiliation.

It would seem to follow that women working in a British Red Cross Supply Depot, were at least one group of women who

received it there were hundreds of these depots throughout the country making bandages, socks, nightgowns, blankets,

ect, for the soldiers at the front or in hospitals.

 

The badge measures 30mm long by 20mm wide has a brooch pin fitting on reverse and is officialy numbered, it is maker

marked for J R. Gaunt Londonpost-3823-0-75629100-1465226250_thumb.jpgpost-3823-0-30834800-1465226264_thumb.jpg

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  • 3 years later...

Here is that postcard (1915) finally...

image.thumb.png.fa52695c446c2b99710ec4d4060d4f6c.png

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I got that more than 50 years ago.

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  • 2 years later...

Here are a few more on war service lapel badges, I spotted for sale.

1st G.K. LTD 1915 no makers mark.

2nd Batger & Co London 1914-1915 no makers mark.

3rd Glasgow Corporation Special Constable 1914,  maker R.Scott Glasgow.

4th Local Defence Corps Attached to National Reserve Harrow, maker Griffin & Co Crown Bldgs Birmingham.

Photo's from other sources.

 

 

1915 (1).jpg

1915 (2).jpg

s-l1600[3].jpg

Glasgow (1).jpg

Glasgow (2).jpg

LDC (1).jpg

LDC (2).jpg

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