Knitted Garments for the Royal Navy - volunteer’s award badge (c.1943)
Knitted garments and ‘Comforts’ were an important wartime contribution towards kitting out members of the Defence Forces whether they were in the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force (RAF), Army or Auxiliary forces. Invariably, these garments were hand-knitted in wool by countless volunteer knitters throughout Britain who helped ensure their men at war would be wearing those extra ‘comforts’ to make the endurance that bit more bearable. The Women’s Institute (WI) members made an invaluable contribution to the knitted garments and Comforts schemes. Incidentally, many men also partook in knitting for The Forces as knitting amongst men was a more widely practised activity than it is nowadays. In the classic TV series of Dad’s Army, Private (James) Frazer is occasionally seen knitting when in the relaxed company of his fellow Home Guards, which back then was not unusual.
The Royal Naval War Comforts Committee was set up by the Admiralty to coordinate the activities of the numerous voluntary organisations involved in the production and distribution knitted comforts for Royal navy personnel both in Britain and while serving abroad.
Regulation clothing issue was generally considered basic and not the most comfortable. Besides, standard issue may not have included protective wear against harsh weather conditions and ‘comforts’ were seen as filling that gap. Knitted woollen garments for members of the Armed Forces included a range of items such as gloves, socks, scarves, balaclavas, wrist-bands, sweaters, etc that generally were not issued with the regulation uniform.
All knitters were volunteers doing their bit for the war effort and given official recognition by way of certificates and badges (such as this one). There were various schemes for the production of ‘comforts’ geared towards the needs of the different Services and who each issued their own design of badge, for example, the Merchant Navy Comforts Service the RAF Comforts Committee. In all cases, the certificate and badge was awarded to an individual knitter after completion of so many garments whose workload was assessed by the weight of wool knitted (anyone please confirm how many pound weight this was?).
Volunteer knitters used their own needles and were expected to buy their own official booklets containing knitting patterns approved by The Admiralty (on behalf of the Royal Navy, Merchant Navy and Auxiliary naval forces). Wool was supplied by the pound-weight free of charge to the individual households or knitting groups. This distribution of wool was carried out by the ladies of the Women’s Voluntary Services (WVS) who also collected the finished garments and brought them to their local Comforts Service Depots. The Depots then sorted and collated the garments into Comforts Packs for distribution to the naval bases across the country. The RAF and Army had different arrangements whereby the WVS would distribute the packs direct to the men of those Services. The Red Cross also played an important role in the distribution of packs to prisoners-of-war and others abroad. For the Royal Navy and its Auxiliary Fleets, the Comforts Pack comprised of a pair of short socks, pair of sea-stockings (long socks), a pair of gloves, scarf and a sweater. A woollen helmet or balaclava could also be supplied separately.
Knitting wool was sourced and purchased by The Board of Trade according to a set specification and colour (blue-grey & navy blue) and stored at their Depots. Since the beginning of the war, the number of knitted items grew to the extent it had become more difficult to source wool in the quantities required and its cost went up. Funds to purchase the wool came mainly from the Penny-a-Week savings schemes and Comforts Fund collections – all voluntary donations in aid of the War Effort. Some figures quoted in the Hansard Parliamentary report (link below) give an indication of the huge quantities of wool required and its increased rate of usage. As the war progressed and wool was severely rationed, the Royal Naval War Amenities Fund became a signification source of grants that provided funds to purchase wool for the RN Comforts Committees.
Figures stated are the total number of finished garments distributed regardless of type:
Feb 1 1940 – 31 Jan 1941 – 152,737
Feb 1 1941 – 31 Jan 1942 – 392,191
Feb 1 1942 – Jan 31 1943 – 599,246
.
When the Comforts knitting scheme started up at the beginning of the War they were very much ad-hoc with individual women and households knitting garments to supply their own men away at war. The schemes were quickly integrated into the general Home Front organisation and their potential harnesses by the various wartime authorities to ensure more efficient supply, quality and upkeep of morale. The official line was generally that the ‘individual’s reward was the satisfaction in knowing the men’s appreciation’. Anyone who could knit were encouraged to join a knitting group, officially known as ‘parties, a word used to engender a greater feeling of solidarity. By April 1943, there were between 6,000 and 7,000 knitting ‘parties’ across Britain (see Hansard link below).
.
References:
hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1943/aug/03/merchant-na... (Parliamentry proposal to extent clothing coupon scheme to cover knitted comforts for the Merchant Navy. Aim is to ensure fairer and more efficient distribution of Comforts packs and eliminate possible abuses but the order was withdrawn. Give an insight into how the scheme works.)
barbaraknitsagain.blogspot.com/2012/02/knitting-for-army.... (Short article about WW2 knitted comforts and the 1940 booklet Knitting for the Army, Official Guide issued by authority of the Director of Voluntary Organizations during 1940. Notice the image of the ‘Volunteer Worker for the Forces’ badge on the cover.)
www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/4905.pdf (Admiralty Fleet Order - Comforts, Amenities & Welfare Funds. Issued 14th October 1943).
www.1900s.org.uk/1940s50s-knitting-wool.htm (Buying and using wool during the 1940's and 50's....interesting!).
elinorflorence.com/blog/wartime-knitting (Knitting for Victory - contains examples of knitted comforts and anecdote stories).
.
Enamels: 2 (blue & white).
Finish: Tin plated.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Pin.
Size: ¾” x 1 3/8” (about 20mm x 35mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Makers: Thomas Fattroini Ltd, Regent St, Birmingham (1933-1961).
Knitted Garments for the Royal Navy - volunteer’s award badge (c.1943)
Knitted garments and ‘Comforts’ were an important wartime contribution towards kitting out members of the Defence Forces whether they were in the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force (RAF), Army or Auxiliary forces. Invariably, these garments were hand-knitted in wool by countless volunteer knitters throughout Britain who helped ensure their men at war would be wearing those extra ‘comforts’ to make the endurance that bit more bearable. The Women’s Institute (WI) members made an invaluable contribution to the knitted garments and Comforts schemes. Incidentally, many men also partook in knitting for The Forces as knitting amongst men was a more widely practised activity than it is nowadays. In the classic TV series of Dad’s Army, Private (James) Frazer is occasionally seen knitting when in the relaxed company of his fellow Home Guards, which back then was not unusual.
The Royal Naval War Comforts Committee was set up by the Admiralty to coordinate the activities of the numerous voluntary organisations involved in the production and distribution knitted comforts for Royal navy personnel both in Britain and while serving abroad.
Regulation clothing issue was generally considered basic and not the most comfortable. Besides, standard issue may not have included protective wear against harsh weather conditions and ‘comforts’ were seen as filling that gap. Knitted woollen garments for members of the Armed Forces included a range of items such as gloves, socks, scarves, balaclavas, wrist-bands, sweaters, etc that generally were not issued with the regulation uniform.
All knitters were volunteers doing their bit for the war effort and given official recognition by way of certificates and badges (such as this one). There were various schemes for the production of ‘comforts’ geared towards the needs of the different Services and who each issued their own design of badge, for example, the Merchant Navy Comforts Service the RAF Comforts Committee. In all cases, the certificate and badge was awarded to an individual knitter after completion of so many garments whose workload was assessed by the weight of wool knitted (anyone please confirm how many pound weight this was?).
Volunteer knitters used their own needles and were expected to buy their own official booklets containing knitting patterns approved by The Admiralty (on behalf of the Royal Navy, Merchant Navy and Auxiliary naval forces). Wool was supplied by the pound-weight free of charge to the individual households or knitting groups. This distribution of wool was carried out by the ladies of the Women’s Voluntary Services (WVS) who also collected the finished garments and brought them to their local Comforts Service Depots. The Depots then sorted and collated the garments into Comforts Packs for distribution to the naval bases across the country. The RAF and Army had different arrangements whereby the WVS would distribute the packs direct to the men of those Services. The Red Cross also played an important role in the distribution of packs to prisoners-of-war and others abroad. For the Royal Navy and its Auxiliary Fleets, the Comforts Pack comprised of a pair of short socks, pair of sea-stockings (long socks), a pair of gloves, scarf and a sweater. A woollen helmet or balaclava could also be supplied separately.
Knitting wool was sourced and purchased by The Board of Trade according to a set specification and colour (blue-grey & navy blue) and stored at their Depots. Since the beginning of the war, the number of knitted items grew to the extent it had become more difficult to source wool in the quantities required and its cost went up. Funds to purchase the wool came mainly from the Penny-a-Week savings schemes and Comforts Fund collections – all voluntary donations in aid of the War Effort. Some figures quoted in the Hansard Parliamentary report (link below) give an indication of the huge quantities of wool required and its increased rate of usage. As the war progressed and wool was severely rationed, the Royal Naval War Amenities Fund became a signification source of grants that provided funds to purchase wool for the RN Comforts Committees.
Figures stated are the total number of finished garments distributed regardless of type:
Feb 1 1940 – 31 Jan 1941 – 152,737
Feb 1 1941 – 31 Jan 1942 – 392,191
Feb 1 1942 – Jan 31 1943 – 599,246
.
When the Comforts knitting scheme started up at the beginning of the War they were very much ad-hoc with individual women and households knitting garments to supply their own men away at war. The schemes were quickly integrated into the general Home Front organisation and their potential harnesses by the various wartime authorities to ensure more efficient supply, quality and upkeep of morale. The official line was generally that the ‘individual’s reward was the satisfaction in knowing the men’s appreciation’. Anyone who could knit were encouraged to join a knitting group, officially known as ‘parties, a word used to engender a greater feeling of solidarity. By April 1943, there were between 6,000 and 7,000 knitting ‘parties’ across Britain (see Hansard link below).
.
References:
hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1943/aug/03/merchant-na... (Parliamentry proposal to extent clothing coupon scheme to cover knitted comforts for the Merchant Navy. Aim is to ensure fairer and more efficient distribution of Comforts packs and eliminate possible abuses but the order was withdrawn. Give an insight into how the scheme works.)
barbaraknitsagain.blogspot.com/2012/02/knitting-for-army.... (Short article about WW2 knitted comforts and the 1940 booklet Knitting for the Army, Official Guide issued by authority of the Director of Voluntary Organizations during 1940. Notice the image of the ‘Volunteer Worker for the Forces’ badge on the cover.)
www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/4905.pdf (Admiralty Fleet Order - Comforts, Amenities & Welfare Funds. Issued 14th October 1943).
www.1900s.org.uk/1940s50s-knitting-wool.htm (Buying and using wool during the 1940's and 50's....interesting!).
elinorflorence.com/blog/wartime-knitting (Knitting for Victory - contains examples of knitted comforts and anecdote stories).
.
Enamels: 2 (blue & white).
Finish: Tin plated.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Pin.
Size: ¾” x 1 3/8” (about 20mm x 35mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Makers: Thomas Fattroini Ltd, Regent St, Birmingham (1933-1961).