During the Great War, all men of suitable age in Britain were expected to ‘do their bit’. Stories of non-uniformed men being handed white feathers and branded cowards are well-known. To prevent such occurrences, badges were handed out to munitions workers and those on war work to show that they were contributing despite not beingContinue reading “The Silver War Badge”
Tag Archives: 1916
Wound Stripes
A common question when looking at WW1 British photographs is “what is that stripe/bar on the lower left arm?” These vertical bars are known as Wound Stripes, and were awarded to those wounded during the Great War. The Wound Stripes were first approved under Army Order 249 of 1916, published on the 6th July 1916.Continue reading “Wound Stripes”
The Curious Case of Private Trigg
“Between 7 and 7:30a.m. the sentries saw through their periscopes a man, dressed in British uniform, carrying a rifle, and wearing his equipment less pack, in front of our wire moving towards the German lines along the extreme western edge of the craters.” Report Written by Brigadier General C J Deverell, commanding 20th Infantry BrigadeContinue reading “The Curious Case of Private Trigg”
Sneak Preview! – Upcoming Publication on “The Distinguishing Marks of The Somme 1916”
For several years now, I have had an increasing interest in the distinguishing marks adopted by the British Army during the Great War. These include the cloth badges worn on uniforms, those painted on helmets and vehicles’ signboards as well as the Divisional and other Formation Signs. The subject is absolutely fascinating, and up untilContinue reading “Sneak Preview! – Upcoming Publication on “The Distinguishing Marks of The Somme 1916””
Metcalfe Military History 