(G&SWR) Glasgow & South Western Railway - Railway Service badge (WW1, 1914 - 1918)
This privately issued Railway Service badge was issued to employees of the Glasgow & South Western Railway (G&SWR) to denote their exemption status from uniformed military service and thereby, help to retain their skilled workers. ‘Badged’ workers as such, were considered essential for war-work on the Home Front and exempt from being called up for military service. Unofficial war service badges privately issued by companies were permitted for use by the War Office until August 4th 1915 after which unofficial badges no longer had legal status, were banned from use and replaced by official badges approved by the War Office. Can anyone please tell me if the Railway Service badges were exempt and continued in use up till the end of the war?
The G&SWR was a Scottish railway company created in 1850 from a series of amalgamations and which served the Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle regions. The G&SWR became part of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway company (LMS) in 1923.
Railway Services badges of similar design were issued by other railway companies during WW1 but differed only in the company name. These badge were worn while on-duty but more importantly, they were also worn with civilian clothes when off-duty.
References:
www.tomtulloch-marshall.co.uk/On_War_Service_Badges.html (Article on the official On War Services badges of WW1 by Tom Tulloch-Marshall, 2001).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_and_South_Western_Railway (Glasgow & South Western Railway).
tonyjamesnoteworld.biz/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/On_War_... (Good article about official war service badges during the First World War, 1914-1918).
www.flickr.com/photos/77499774@N08/10359406956/ (Railway Service badges were also issued by the different railway companies during WW2 (1939-1945) and for the very same purposes as their equivalent WW1 badges).
Enamels: 3 (red, white & blue).
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Buttonhole (horseshoe shaped clasp).
Size: 1 1/16” diameter (27mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Imprint: No maker’s name or mark except a hand-stamped employee’s number W 374.
Photo reproduced with kind permission of the seller (roderick-gibson-antiques).
Sold on eBay 23rd September 2014.
Item number 311065097269.
Start price £4 and sold for £23.01 + p&p (9 bids from 8 bidders).
In my opinion, this badge sold very cheaply and the buyer got a bargain! This badge and similar issued by other railway companies often sell in excess of £50 a piece in good condition.
(G&SWR) Glasgow & South Western Railway - Railway Service badge (WW1, 1914 - 1918)
This privately issued Railway Service badge was issued to employees of the Glasgow & South Western Railway (G&SWR) to denote their exemption status from uniformed military service and thereby, help to retain their skilled workers. ‘Badged’ workers as such, were considered essential for war-work on the Home Front and exempt from being called up for military service. Unofficial war service badges privately issued by companies were permitted for use by the War Office until August 4th 1915 after which unofficial badges no longer had legal status, were banned from use and replaced by official badges approved by the War Office. Can anyone please tell me if the Railway Service badges were exempt and continued in use up till the end of the war?
The G&SWR was a Scottish railway company created in 1850 from a series of amalgamations and which served the Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle regions. The G&SWR became part of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway company (LMS) in 1923.
Railway Services badges of similar design were issued by other railway companies during WW1 but differed only in the company name. These badge were worn while on-duty but more importantly, they were also worn with civilian clothes when off-duty.
References:
www.tomtulloch-marshall.co.uk/On_War_Service_Badges.html (Article on the official On War Services badges of WW1 by Tom Tulloch-Marshall, 2001).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_and_South_Western_Railway (Glasgow & South Western Railway).
tonyjamesnoteworld.biz/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/On_War_... (Good article about official war service badges during the First World War, 1914-1918).
www.flickr.com/photos/77499774@N08/10359406956/ (Railway Service badges were also issued by the different railway companies during WW2 (1939-1945) and for the very same purposes as their equivalent WW1 badges).
Enamels: 3 (red, white & blue).
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Buttonhole (horseshoe shaped clasp).
Size: 1 1/16” diameter (27mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Imprint: No maker’s name or mark except a hand-stamped employee’s number W 374.
Photo reproduced with kind permission of the seller (roderick-gibson-antiques).
Sold on eBay 23rd September 2014.
Item number 311065097269.
Start price £4 and sold for £23.01 + p&p (9 bids from 8 bidders).
In my opinion, this badge sold very cheaply and the buyer got a bargain! This badge and similar issued by other railway companies often sell in excess of £50 a piece in good condition.