Tell me more about this military badge!

bellero

bellero

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Not too sure where to post this as we don't have a militaria forum so I posted it Hobbies first and it was recommended that I post it here instead.

I found this nice little badge in a thrift store, at the modest price of $2, I couldn't pass it up even if I didn't know what it was at the time! It's in excellent condition with a nice patina on it.

After some research, turns out it's a WWI Canadian Honourable Service veteran's badge (Didn't even know they existed). I can't find much info about these badges and I'd like to know who was issuing them to vets? (DND, Gov't, Legion, private purchase?). One interesting feature is the markings on the back side that reads; "Penalty for misuse 500 dollars or six months emprisonment" Also has what appears to be an issue number: "18362" The badge is hallmarked: "Caron Bros Montreal 1917".

I want to know if there's a registry I could look up to find out who the badge was issued to? I may even try to return it to the veteran's family or give it to a museum.

They seem to go for anywhere between $30 to $100 on the collector's market.

Anyone can tell more about this neat little badge?

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Here's the scoop http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group08/acc Don't know if it's a legal hotlink, it should be

War Service Badges -
Army Class C

Final CEF Award Criteria

Members of the CEF not eligible for Class A or B who served with pay for an aggregate period not less than three months, and had been retired or honourably discharged, including those who suffered a disability due to military service and had been discharged solely due to the disability before they served three months.
Members of the Active Militia of Canada who, had they remained on duty until the completion of the arrangements authorized by P.C. 1569 (National Archives of Canada, RG 2, Vol. 1200, File 22 June 1918, P.C. 1569.), would have become members of the CEF, provided they served with pay for an aggregate period not less than three months and had been retired or honourably discharged, including those who suffered a disability due to military service, and been discharged solely due to the disability before they served three months.
Members of the Imperial Forces not eligible for Class A or B, who resided in Canada on the 4th of August 1914, and who returned to reside in Canada, subject to the same conditions as in (ii).
 
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Hi..If you go to collections Canada you can do a free search of their database on WW1 soldiers..The number on the badge 18362 could be Einar Henry Johnsen and you can see his original attestation paper online giving all his details and the day he signed up for service....All really interesting. He may well of been injured and discharged from service. Presented with this badge so he could wear it whilst out in normal civilian clothes to indicate he had 'done his bit'...Very nice badge and good to research a bit more...Good luck.
 
Wow, thanks guys! So the number would be a service number? I'll dig some more into this tomorrow and I'll keep you guys posted on the details. Thanks again and good night everybody.
 
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think that the number would be a serial number for the badge itself. Much easier to do it like that, then register each badge as it was issued.

Interesting little badge. Also one I don't have.

There was also a badge after the Second War, shield-shaped, the General Service Badge. My Dad had one, never wore it. I had to write away for his medals because he wouldn't; having the same name exactly came in handy for once. When they arrived I gave them to him. He opened up the package, read the little "thank you" paper and said, "Does that look like a cheque to you?" He put them away but then, day before Armistice, I caught him in the kitchen, late at night, polishing them for the first time. Next morning, he wore them in the Legion parade: his best friend (who had one or more of almost everything they made) had prodded him into joining..... at last! It was really good to see.
 
smellie said:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think that the number would be a serial number for the badge itself. Much easier to do it like that, then register each badge as it was issued.

Interesting little badge. Also one I don't have.

There was also a badge after the Second War, shield-shaped, the General Service Badge. My Dad had one, never wore it. I had to write away for his medals because he wouldn't; having the same name exactly came in handy for once. When they arrived I gave them to him. He opened up the package, read the little "thank you" paper and said, "Does that look like a cheque to you?" He put them away but then, day before Armistice, I caught him in the kitchen, late at night, polishing them for the first time. Next morning, he wore them in the Legion parade: his best friend (who had one or more of almost everything they made) had prodded him into joining..... at last! It was really good to see.
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Nothing better than seeing a vet wearing their entitled 'gongs'...I know the silver wound badge was numbered differently (not with the soldiers regiment number) This maybe the same for this badge but needs to be checked out... Even the Canada Food board produced a neat badge 'Soldiers of the soil' for those workers who helped increase vital agricultural output during the war..
 
tommyinbc said:
Nothing better than seeing a vet wearing their entitled 'gongs'...I know the silver wound badge was numbered differently (not with the soldiers regiment number) This maybe the same for this badge but needs to be checked out... Even the Canada Food board produced a neat badge 'Soldiers of the soil' for those workers who helped increase vital agricultural output during the war..
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Interesting that they would go to the trouble of molding that little message into the back. Seems most unusual.


Grizz
 
Canadians who volunteered during WW 2, but were turned down for medical reason were given a pin to wear as well as receiving a letter from the government.
 
There is still a lapel pin given out upon release from the CF. They are bronze, silver, or gold depending on years served. I have the gold. There is no inscription on the back.
 
Yes, and they were recently re-designed.

Still bronze, silver, gold, but a different configuration.

I guess whichever pin you wear on your blazer would entitle you to different bragging rights.

The WW II shield Service Pin trumps 'em all.
 
The Brits in WW1 also issued a badge to workers in war essential services because of pretty young things walking up to men on the street and handing them a "white feather"

Of course if those "pretty young women" had actualy seen what life was REALLY like in the trenches, they may not have been so eager to hand those feathers out!
 
Turns out the number on the badge is the same as Einar Henry Johnsen's regimental number. Johnsen was born in Denmark according to these papers.

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Rule 303 said:
Yes, and they were recently re-designed.

Still bronze, silver, gold, but a different configuration.
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I'm two years short of reaching my 20th year of service and I didn't even know such badges still existed nowadays! Anybody can post some pics of the new badge?
 
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bellero said:
I'm two years short of reaching my 20th year of service and I didn't even know such badges existed! Anybody can post some pics of the new badge?
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Me neither until I actually retired and they handed me the little box with my release paperwork. Sharp looking little pin. (sorry I'm a Luddite so no pics)
 
Looking at the top left of the attestation paper for Einar Henry Johnsen it would appear he was allocated to Borden's Armoured Battery. Formed in September 1914, this unit being a mechanised/mobile machine gun battery on the Western front. Given the mainly static nature of the war, the battery also became static to form a machine gun barrage unit or used for anti aircaft purpose...Some of the Machine gunners of this Battery were the best in the Canadian Corps..The Borden Battery suffered 93% casualties on 24th March 1918 at Clery-sur-Somme when its 56 man battery blocked the advance of an entire German division....Worthy of further research I'm sure you'll agree....
 
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