Royal British Legion Badge in Gold - Royal British Legion in North Online Museum Staffordshire

History and Online Museum of the Royal British Legion in North Staffordshire

	Royal British Legion Badge in Gold

The Royal British Legion recognises any outstanding contribution by members to the organisation through a series of awards.

Highest Awards

The Gold Badge of the Royal British Legion

The Gold Badge of the Royal British Legion

The Royal British Legion Badge in Gold award started in the mid 1920s as a branch award. It is one of the highest awards that can be bestowed upon a member. It may be awarded to a member who has given at least eight years meritorious and conspicuous service to the objectives [1] of the Legion as defined by the Royal Charter.

National Chairman’s Approval

Following National Chairman’s approval to the award, the formation must meet the cost of the badge. On the death of a recipient the badge becomes the property of the next of kin, who may retain it or return it to the formation to issue to another individual for whom the award has been approved.

18 carat & 9carat Hallmarked Gold

Pre World War 2 the Gold Badge was made in 18ct hallmarked gold and are usual unmarked occasionally they may have the awardees name engraved upon them. Post World War 2 they were made in 9 carat gold as you can find them today. Each badge is engraved with a unique identification number that identifies the person who the badge has been awarded to.

Miniature

Since the recent acquisition of the British Legion Head Quarters Branch Price List Feb 1937 by British Legion Memorabilia Collectors Club we have been able to re-evaluate some of our collections and two new miniature gold badges have come to light both manufactured by BM &BC (7mm x 9mm) one hallmarked 1941 (and the other 1938) and seen below.

Historical Notes

Picture of one of the earliest British Legion Gold Badges from BMBC

Picture of one of the earliest British Legion Gold Badges from BMBC

There are now four Legion Badges in Gold in our exhibition below are of particular interest from a collector's and from a historical prospective. Firstly the one on the right from the Birmingham Medal and Badge Company (BMBC) 26mm x 26mm is hallmarked Birmingham Serif letter "J" 1933 which up until recently was thought to have been one of the Legion's earliest awarded Legion Badge in Gold, however we now have one that is hallmarked 1928 (BMco) which we believe is the year they were instigated and now has changed the history books by establishing a time line two years earlier.

And secondly the J R Gaunt hallmarked 1947 is believed to be the first year of the smaller size badge. Thirdly and perhaps more importantly of the three is the 1972 hallmarked Royal British Legion Badge in Gold and also manufactured by Court Jewellers J. R Gaunt & Son, bears the Queen's crown for the first time. All have the Birmingham assay 'Anchor' hallmark.

Award Criteria

The award criteria for the Legion Badge in Gold in the 1920s to the early 1950s was not as rigorous as it is today. There were no registration numbers engraved on the badge, which means the so honoured member cannot be identified or trace which branch the badge was issued to unless the name has been engraved upon it.

The British Legion unpolished Gold badge is one of the last of its type bearing the date letter 'S' for 1967, in the last four years of the British Legion.

The Royal British Legion Badge in Gold bears the hallmark letter 'X' for 1972 which means it was manufactured in the first year of Queen's crown above The Royal British Legion badge.

In this online exhibition of Royal British Legion (RBL) and British Legion (BL) Gold numbered badges and stick pin, examples can be found from the following enamel badge manufacturers:

BMco (Birmingham Medal Co) BL
BMBC (B'ham Medal & Badge Co) BL
Gladman & Norman RBL WS
JRG & S BL (J. R. Gaunt, London) - RBL, BL
WD Birmingham (William Davenport) RBL WS
PB Ltd (Premier Badges) RBL & RBLWS

APRIL 2008

Badge in Gold BM&BC hallmarked 'D' for 1928 believed to be the first year of the gold badge.

[Link to Award Criteria Page]

The Royal British Legion & British Legion Badge in Gold

Notes:

[1] Article 3 of the Royal Charter sets out the objects of The Royal British Legion as:

(a) to relieve need and to further the education of beneficiaries and their
spouses, children and dependants;

(b) to relieve need and protect the mental and emotional health of the spouses, children and dependants left by those who have died in service;

(c) to relieve suffering, hardship and distress to spouses and dependants
caused by the absence of those serving in the Royal Navy, Army and Royal
Air Force on Regular, Reserve or Auxiliary engagements;

(d) to promote and support schemes for the resettlement, rehabilitation,
retraining and sheltered employment, of beneficiaries and their spouses,
children and dependants.

Take a visit to
British Legion Memorabilia Collectors Club Badge in Gold Page
a dedicated web site for the serious collector of British Legion History.