WW1 Mine Clearance Service sleeve Badge



WW1 Mine Clearance Service sleeve Badge

  Here's a badge a purchased the other day. It is the First World War Mine Clearance Service badge. It also came with the mounting plate which you don't see to often. The service was formed at the end of the war to clear the thousands of mines which had been laid. Of the countries involved, Britain had the biggest job of clearing 40,000 square miles, Members of the service were given a special rate of pay and conditions reflected in the nature of the job, clearing mines!!  By the end of the war 1919 approximately 23,000 Allied and 70 German mines had been cleared with the loss of 6 minesweepers.
The members wore the above badge on the cuff. It is a rare badge because the Royal Navy rarely issued metal badges and it was only worn for a short period of time. I think the brass backing plate at the back is probably rarer than the badge! There are many copies of this badge. The most obvious "restrike" to spot is the one with a line running from top left to bottom right. This is said to be stamped from an original die that was deliberately smashed in half after use and disguarded. Someone then came along took the pieces and glued them back and started manufacturing more for profit. It measures about 8.5cm x 5.7cm and has two lugs to the rear.

Reverse showing backing plate