New Aquisition

[Tim Lewis]

At the London Canal Museum we have aquired a GUCCCo National Service badge:

 

 

Does anybody here know the background to these badges (It is about 12mm across)

 

Tim

Edited October 6, 2010 by Tim Lewis

[NB Alnwick]

At the London Canal Museum we have aquired a GUCCCo National Service badge:

 

 

Does anybody here know the background to these badges (It is about 12mm across)

 

Tim

 

I suspect that the badge was issued during the Second World War to indicate that the wearer was in a reserved occupation. Very similar badges issued to railwaymen - transport was a 'reserved occupation' during the First and Second World Wars and men were issued with official 'War Service' badges so that others could see that they were 'doing their bit' and not avoiding the call-up to join the armed forces. All badges were numbered and registered to afford protection to the wearer from over-zealous Recruiting Sergeants.

 

During the First World War round badges were issued - the bigger railway companies commissioned their own badges with the company name on but smaller companies used a generic badge. During the Second World War, oval badges were issued all bearing the company name. Below are some examples found on the web:

 

A WW1 badge issued by the London & South Western Railway

A WW2 badge issued by the London & North Eastern Railway

[Derek R.]

Jeannette Smith-Harrison has a picture of her Granddad which appears in Painted Boats with a badge that looks quite similar attached to his Beret.

 

Derek

[JohnO]

Amazing what turns up on Ebay. Nice to see it not end up in some private collection never to be seen again [i think]. I was thinking of producing some solid gold replica's, should still be cheaper than the final price the above went for.

Nowhere as rare but interesting

D & I.W.E. buttons

[mykaskin]

There is also one of these badges in Stoke Bruerne I think.

 

Mike

[Laurence Hogg]

Wonderful little aquisition, got to say I havent seen one of those before, mines just the plain one. Almost certainly made in Birmingham probably by Gomm.