HOME PAGE 1900 to 1913 1914 to 1918 1919 to 1929 1930 to 1938 1939 to 1945 1946 to 1950 Other sections Never again

1914-18 War • The Silver War Badge

Worn on civilian clothing from Sept 1916 ••• FOR KING AND EMPIRE • SERVICES RENDERED
Silver War Badge

Troops honourably discharged Left for a good reason from service during the war were awarded this badge to be worn on civilian clothes.
The cause of discharge was usually disability due to wounds or injuries sustained in the war. For this reason it is sometimes wrongly called the Silver Wound Badge.
The badge told the public that the wearer had already served in the forces. It was always worn on the right lapel.
Each solid silver badge is individually numbered . The issue of the SWB and its number is recorded on the medal record at the National Archive, Kew (but at present cannot be researched by number alone)
All young men wearing this badge have been discharged due to injury. I can only speculate that one reason these portraits are mostly "head and shoulders" is because a certain proportion of these men will have missing limbs.

Photograph above by Heawood & Watson of Hinkley