Associate & Honorary Member Badge Royal British Legion Women's Section Badge - Royal British Legion in North Online Museum Staffordshire

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

	Women's Section Associates & Honorary Badges

Honorary Membership

Women's Section Honorary Membership started in 1923 for the Women's Section. At that time this membership category was primarily civilians who a branch thought worthy were awarded Honorary Membership, or who felt strongly about the cause that they volunteered there services to assist those who at fought in The Great War. Latterly this membership included serving servicewomen and in the 1960s membership to British Legion Clubs. Honorary membership had a limitation placed upon them initially that no more than 10% of the membership could be Honorary Members, from 1969 onwards it became a 60: 40 rule.

Associate Membership

After 1973 non serving were allowed to keep their Honorary status as they had the right to vote new members became Associate and Honorary Membership became the the province of serving members of HM Forces only, but in 1986 this all changed when the membership fees were introduced.

Enamel Badge Manufacturers

In this online exhibition of Royal British Legion (RBL) and British Legion (BL) Honorary & Associate membership numbered badges, examples can be found from the following enamel badge manufacturers:

Birmingham Medal Company - BL
J. R. Gaunt, London - RBL, BL
Gladman & Norman - RBL
Premier Badges - RBL

Badge Construction

The construction of 1923-1946 British Legion Women's Section Honorary Member Badge is of naval blue enamel over polished brass, with a horizontal white enamel crossbar with the wording "HONORARY" in uppercase and measuring 42 mm x 28mm in size. The design of the badge was registered RD 688125 can usually be found at the bottom of the badge.

The design of the British Legion Women's Section Associate & Honorary badge has remained the same there are some variations mainly in the design of the corporate lion logo and of course the metal of manufacture. Post WW2 in 1946 the British Legion Women's Section badge became noticeably smaller this is assumed to have taken place due to the war time metal shortage.

The Royal British Legion Women's Section now has a Single Membership, giving all members equal rights to participate in Branch, County and National decision-making processes of the organisation. The Associate Member's Badge, has become obsolete and has been consigned to history...

New Layout: Run your cursor over the badge to find out more about it, then click to enlarge the photograph.

APRIL 2008

Exhibition

Royal British Legion Women's Section Honorary Membership badge donated by Glyn Thomas

Women's Section Associate & Honorary Badges

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

Women's Section Associates & Honorary Badges