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 One
of the last great mystery's in the history of The
Royal British Legion; The National Federation of
Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers
Badge has been revealed under our very eyes.
Mrs Tracy Fowler, the UK's leading woman collector
of British Legion badges, founder member of
the British Legion Memorabilia Collectors Club and
well respected contributor to the Online Museum at
last reveals the secret of the National Federation
of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers
Badge.
"My inability to
uncover a National Federation of Discharged and
Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers badge over the
years has always been a bone of contention for
me. It's really not common at all for so many
collectors to never have seen one!
It starts to perplex the mind.
However, after an
exhaustive recent search, aided by several good
friends, we have managed to locate a National
Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors
and Soldiers membership certificate, which
CLEARLY shows the insignia used at National
level - The Silver Badge!
We have found that
almost 100 different 'rival' organisations were
in existence, and by the very nature of the fact
that so many competing organisations existed in
the early days, amalgamation under one roof was
always going to be inevitable? The numbers of
rival organisations started to dwindle, and the
rest as we now know is history." stated Tracy
Fowler
Bob Rankin Curator of the Online Museum and also
a founder member of the British Legion
Memorabilia Collectors Club stated to North
Staffordshire County RBL Web News. "Although the
badge has in front of us all the time
we never put two and two together!"
A little background history:
 The
Silver Badge Party was the unofficial
title for a political movement existing in the
United Kingdom during and immediately after the
Great War 1914-1918. The unofficial party
consisted of several groups representing the
political interests of former service personnel
who had fought in the war. A silver badge was
issued to all servicemen on their discharge in
recognition of their service." ..more
The only remaining mystery of the British Legion
founding organisation's history is: What "The
Officer's Association" badge looks like..? We
wait with baited breath.
Will it be in 2008?
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© Royal British Legion in North Staffordshire 2006
, Registered Charity No 219279, Haig House, Ferranti Court, Gillette Close, Stafford Tec Park, Beaconside, Stafford, ST18 0LQ
Telephone: 01785 226526 Fax: 01785 226537