WW1 badges found for Red Cross and C of London

TellyTubby

I'm not sure who best to contact about this. 

My neighbour lives in what used to be our village Doctor's house and she found the attached in her garden recently.

We have no idea why a part of a City of London crest ( got excited that it might have been Charlton at first ) and Canadian Red Cross Visitor badge from 1914-1915 would be in a remote. very rural part of Devon.

Any suggestions knowledgeable peeps can give us would be great please. 

Baldybonce

Try the Imperial war museum.
There may have a convalescence home for soldiers or the Dr was treating soldiers nearby. Maybe staffed by the Canadian red cross?
A quick google say there were a number of hospitals in Devon.

Baldybonce

The Sawdust fusiliers were based in Devon. 1600 lumberjacks recruited in Canada to cut down the timber for trenchworks in France.
Maybe something to do with them.

Henry Irving

One for @SE7toSG3

TellyTubby

Baldybonce said:

The Sawdust fusiliers were based in Devon. 1600 lumberjacks recruited in Canada to cut down the timber for trenchworks in France.
Maybe something to do with them.

None of the places mentioned are very close to our village. One is about 30 or so miles I guess, the others are further.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/story-canadian-sawdust-fusiliers-who-1988025

charlton4ever

Keep us informed what you find out @TellyTubby. Great find by your neighbour.

Henry Irving

From Clive Harris Military Historian

 

Those badges, the first isn't military at all, its a very nice City of London Lapel Badge, I suspect the owner was a Londoner who volunteered as a visitor for the Canadian Red Cross, these went to various convalescence homes visiting sick and wounded, one of their main roles was to ascertain information as to missing soldiers from their surviving comrades, so really quite fascinating and more than just tea cakes and morale stuff. The badge would have come with a scarlet ribbon, and I have seen them fetch £60 or so online.

TellyTubby

Henry Irving said:

From Clive Harris Military Historian

 

Those badges, the first isn't military at all, its a very nice City of London Lapel Badge, I suspect the owner was a Londoner who volunteered as a visitor for the Canadian Red Cross, these went to various convalescence homes visiting sick and wounded, one of their main roles was to ascertain information as to missing soldiers from their surviving comrades, so really quite fascinating and more than just tea cakes and morale stuff. The badge would have come with a scarlet ribbon, and I have seen them fetch £60 or so online.

Thank you.

The Doctor and his wife lost their son in the Great War, and there were German POWs working in the area, one of which was shot and later died as he ran at a guard shouting. 

I wonder if the Red Cross might have been there for that reason?

Henry Irving

You can see what could be a fragment of the red ribbon on the back of the badge.

usetobunkin

My Grandfather was in the Canadian Army, (A very long but interesting story) was stationed in Purfleet as part of the railway construction teams.

Just a by the by. 

Chizz

I wonder what the significance is of the maple leaf being "upside down" in the second badge.  The 1914 version of the Canadian Red Cross Visitor badge had the white maple leaf the "right way up".  But the 1914-1915 version had it flipped over. 

TelMc32

Chizz said:

I wonder what the significance is of the maple leaf being "upside down" in the second badge.  The 1914 version of the Canadian Red Cross Visitor badge had the white maple leaf the "right way up".  But the 1914-1915 version had it flipped over. 

A flag upside down is a sign of international distress. Could be that the same was done with the emblem and that this one was after WW1 started on 28 July that year. 

ShootersHillGuru

I hope that I haven’t trodden on anyone’s toes here but I have taken the liberty of sending an e Mail with a picture of the Canadian Red Cross medal to the Canadian Red Cross. I’ve asked that the enquiry be directed towards their historian / archivist in the hope that some light can be thrown onto the origins of the medal. Should I get a reply I will of course revert.

Chizz

ShootersHillGuru said:

I hope that I haven’t trodden on anyone’s toes here but I have taken the liberty of sending an e Mail with a picture of the Canadian Red Cross medal to the Canadian Red Cross. I’ve asked that the enquiry be directed towards their historian / archivist in the hope that some light can be thrown onto the origins of the medal. Should I get a reply I will of course revert.

These people might have some knowledge about it too... https://www.sallybosleysbadgeshop.com/shop.php?c=431

letthegoodtimesroll

Try the Canadian Red Cross Society, if anybody knows what they were doing there in 1914/15 and who was there (& whether they had somebody with a City of London connection - possibly somebody who was a Freeman of the City (so likely to be an officer back then) I guess it will be them. They’d probably be pleased to hear from you if you have that badge.

TellyTubby

Chizz said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

I hope that I haven’t trodden on anyone’s toes here but I have taken the liberty of sending an e Mail with a picture of the Canadian Red Cross medal to the Canadian Red Cross. I’ve asked that the enquiry be directed towards their historian / archivist in the hope that some light can be thrown onto the origins of the medal. Should I get a reply I will of course revert.

These people might have some knowledge about it too... https://www.sallybosleysbadgeshop.com/shop.php?c=431

I've emailed them, thanks. Nothing back yet. 

TellyTubby

letthegoodtimesroll said:

Try the Canadian Red Cross Society, if anybody knows what they were doing there in 1914/15 and who was there (& whether they had somebody with a City of London connection - possibly somebody who was a Freeman of the City (so likely to be an officer back then) I guess it will be them. They’d probably be pleased to hear from you if you have that badge.

Thanks for the suggestion. The website says that they have no, or little records of anything beyond their shores/official sites. 

I emailed them anyway on the off chance. No problem with @ShootersHillGuru asking the question too, only too pleased that there is so much interest.

TellyTubby

Henry Irving said:

From Clive Harris Military Historian

 

Those badges, the first isn't military at all, its a very nice City of London Lapel Badge, I suspect the owner was a Londoner who volunteered as a visitor for the Canadian Red Cross, these went to various convalescence homes visiting sick and wounded, one of their main roles was to ascertain information as to missing soldiers from their surviving comrades, so really quite fascinating and more than just tea cakes and morale stuff. The badge would have come with a scarlet ribbon, and I have seen them fetch £60 or so online.

The doctor that lived there during the war wasn't a freeman of the City,  neither was the one who was there before.

ShootersHillGuru

Initial response from Canadian Red Cross from my e mail regarding the medal

Hi David,

Thank you for reaching out to the Canadian Red Cross. We are looking into your request regarding the badges and will get back to you when we have more information. 

Kind regards,
Dean

Canadian Red Cross Communications

TellyTubby

ShootersHillGuru said:

Initial response from Canadian Red Cross from my e mail regarding the medal

Hi David,

Thank you for reaching out to the Canadian Red Cross. We are looking into your request regarding the badges and will get back to you when we have more information. 

Kind regards,
Dean

Canadian Red Cross Communications

There was a satellite camp of the Canadian Forestry Corps at Torrington. I think there is a Canadian Commonwealth War Grave in Torrington Cemetery connected to this, which is about 10 miles away. 

charlton4ever

Best thread of the Summer this one. 

Henry Irving

Orpington Hospital was originally a Canadian military hospital.

Thing is there were camps and hospitals everywhere in Southern Britain during WW1.

ShootersHillGuru

Not much help in discovering what the badge was issued for but this image at least shows how the red ribbon was displayed. The Full details tab is of no real help. Just a description.