The Silver War Badge

**Redcap** · 05-04-2012, 06:54 PM

Not a high level award to be sure, but given that it recognised those who had spilled their blood for their country, still a significant one.

For those who may be unfamiliar with it, the Silver War Badge was given to those who had been rendered unfit to serve due to wounds received at the front and wore the badge in the lapel of civilian clothes so that they would not be thought a "shirker".

The basic badge is relatively common , but those issued by the commonwealth countries had the serial number opf the badge prefixed by the initial of thier nation
C=Canada
A=Australia
NZ=New Zealand
SA=South Africa
I=India

In addition, some British issued badges carried a prefix
RAF=Royal Air Force
RN=Royal Navy
MN=Merchant Navy.

Some of the prefixed badges run from uncommon to extremely rare and at the top end can attract three figure prices.

**Redcap** · 05-04-2012, 06:55 PM

And here is the certificate issued to those who received the badge.

**Wagriff** · 05-04-2012, 07:43 PM

Very nice pieces of History, for sure!

**Tango** · 05-04-2012, 07:56 PM

I have 1 of these sat in my War Room, didnt know what it was until now so thanks Redcap, very interesting...Cheers Terry.

**Tango** · 05-04-2012, 08:01 PM

Redcap where the prefix initial on the badges?? Terry.

**Wagriff** · 05-04-2012, 08:18 PM

The prefix's on these badges can be found on the back side before the number. There were several issues of these "wound badges" made, and one can find such letters as "B", etc on them as well-denoting the basic age and order of the issue.

**Tango** · 05-04-2012, 08:23 PM

Cheers Wagriff I will look next time im home!! very interseting thread.. Thanks Terry ..

**Jerry B** · 05-04-2012, 08:23 PM

I used to have one of the certificates, in poor condition and whilst I was working away my then wife threw it out. As I said, my then wife, who shortly afterwards became my exwife!

**Tango** · 05-04-2012, 08:28 PM

**Redcap** · 05-04-2012, 09:33 PM

The First issues of the Silver War Badge from Sept 1916 to March 1918 had a horizontal pin and were numbered from 1 to 360,000. Then the fitting changed to a vertical pin, from number 360,001 to 450,000.

The Second Issue, from August 1918 to December 1919 were numbered B1 to B350,000

The rare Third Issue, from December 1919 to April 1920 were numbered O1 to O5000

The last issue, from December 1919 to June 1922 were numbered 450000 to 525500.

A total of 880,500 were issued.

The rarest of all prefixes is "N" for Newfoundland.

Here is a reverse shot, in this case a "B" Prefix, and a photo showing how it was worn.