The Royal British Legion recognises any
outstanding contribution by members to the organisation through a
series of awards. These awards are:
National Certificate of Appreciation,
National Life Membership, and the
Gold Badge
The British
Legion Badge 1921 - 1971
British Legion
Badge
The Badge of
The Royal British Legion has evolved in the 85
years since it's founding of the British Legion
1921. The British Legion became The Royal
British Legion in 1971, however it did not gain
royal permission to add the Queen's crown on the
badge until
early 1972.
Enamel Badge Manufacturers
Various enamel badge manufacturers have
had the honour of manufacturing the different
types of badge over the years.
In this online exhibition of British Legion (BL)
Large and Small size membership
numbered badges, examples can be
found from the following enamel badge
manufacturers:
B H & M C Birmingham BL
Birmingham Medal Company - BL
B'ham Medal & Badge Co BL
J. R. Gaunt & Sons Ltd, London - BL
J. R. Gaunt Ltd, B'Ham - BL
Jason & Jones, Birmingham - BL
Ludlow of London - BL Roden, London
- BL
Four Classes of Member
In the 1925 Royal Charter First Issue states
that there are four classes of membership;
Ordinary, Life, Honorary and Women. Badges had
to be purchased from the Branch Secretary for
One Shilling (refunded on retirement or
expulsion from the Legion).
Badge Size
In the British Legion Head
Quarters Branch Price List February 1937
badges where issued
in two sizes Large and Miniature. Miniature
badges either had a screw back or a pin back.
Officially Numbered
All badges badges where officially numbered
although there are examples of Honorary and some
miniature badges that where not.
Changes in Badge Size
The design of the British Legion badge remains
the same there are some variations mainly in the
design of the corporate lion logo and of course
the metal, at 1946* annual conference it was
decided to introduce the noticeably
smaller 0.75" x 0.75" (20mm x 20mm) replaced
it's larger brother 1" x 1" (26mm x 26mm) seems
to have been phased out .
The variation in badge manufacturers one would
assume is a question of economics and the best
price.
*Disclaimer:
Badge dating in this online museum are based upon known membership
numbers and corresponding dates. These dates are
estimates and not actual dates of manufacture
and should only be used as a guide.
