I'm doing research for a dissertation on 'sweetheart brooches' - they are replica military badges made for serving personnel to give their wives and girlfriends and I am focusing on those made in WW2 in Britain. Would anyone be interested in giving me information, anecdotes, photos etc.? I would be very grateful. Thanks.
Hello Penny, The RGH started giving these to loved ones in the 1900's and continued throughout WW1 and WW2. The patterns tended to remain the same; Silver and Enamel for Officers and Painted Brass for the rest of us! But all are styled on the Regimental Cap Badge; I believe they began by giving their girlfriends their "Collar-dogs", the smaller versions, off their uniforms 'till someone on high got wind of it and started fining the men for loss of kit..... Anyway, take a look at this for images-- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solid-Sil...yal-Gloucestershire-Hussars-RGH-/150927860000 Good luck with your dissertation, Larry
Thanks for the reply Larry. Do you ever get offered brooches with associated letters/documents/anything written at all? If so, would you contact me as I would be particularly interested in buying anything like this, if affordable. P
I can ask at the next meeting, 14th Feb, in the meantime you could take a look at this website http://www.glosters.org.uk/collections/ As for buying items, that should not be necessary as we can copy documents/images to pdf and send to you. I would, however, be quite interested in a copy of your dissertation! Keep in touch, Larry
Hi Larry I would be very grateful if you think any of your members would be interested in this. Eventually I hope to ask whether people would be prepared to speak to me via phone, letter, email, or informal interview. I'm particularly interested in what the brooches meant in personal and patriotic terms, and any documents that might mention them and photos showing them being worn. I like the story of the collar dogs - may I use that? I will certainly let you have a copy of the final effort if you are interested, but it's still a long way off! Many thanks for your help. Penny
