Badges of the British Navy
How badges of the British Navy came into being
Before the official demise of British Navy figureheads in 1894 many sailors made badges mostly at the request of a ships captain for the ships they sailed in. The Admiralty wanting to keep an ornamental fashion in its ships sought badges.
The figurehead of the 1855 Portsmouth Dockyard built HMS Marlbrough. The figurehead was saved by Portsmouth Dockyard from the breakers in 1924. HMS Marlbrough sank under tow to the breakers in 1924. Sailor's saw figureheads as symbols of protection that brought a ship to life. They often reflected a ships name and sailors beleived a ship without a figurehead would not find its way.
In 1796 the Admiralty ordered an end to the production of new figureheads but introduced billethead/scrollheads such as those designed for HM Yatchs Victoria and Albert. Billetheads never became popular and the Admiralty continued with it's exisiting figureheads.
A replica of the HMS Victory bow badge. HMS Victory was saved for the Navy and Nation in 1903 by the officers and men of Portsmouth Command on the orders of CinC Portsmouth, Admiral John Fisher.
Badges were first tabled to ornament HM Ships in 1900 but it was not until 1918 that the Admiralty official established it's Ships Badge Committee to design, uniform, regulate, approve and issue it's Ship's Badges. Leading the way for the Admiralty in 1918 was Major Charles Ffoulkes (obe, cbe) who devised and standardised the Admiralty's badge system and designed over 500 of it's badges. In 1935 the College of Heraldry became involved advising the committee on coat of arms, and emblems of counties, cities and towns. Before 1940 the shape of the badge denoted the type of ship, ie Battlecruiser/Battleship (circular) Aircraft Carrier/Submarine (diamond) Crusier (pentagonal) Destroyer (sheild). For security reasons in 1940 the Admiralty ordered all HM ships will have circular badges. It is not true that HM Ships that served and survived WW2 were an exception to the 1940 order. A further Admiralty badge change happened in 1976 Royal Fleet Auxilliary (pentangonal) HM Shore Estabilishments (diamond). Each badge is different no two badges are the same and there are over 2 thousand badges.
In British Navy ships the badge is found on the superstructure below the bridge screen and at the main guns. It was common to see replica badges or their images in wardroons, messes, on a ships treadplate, on fittings and on paper. If you watch the 1956 movie Battle of the River Plate you will see in the background of the wardroom scene a pentagonal badge.
There are 3 types of replica badge:
Plaster, a cheap, easy, ready use gift made by sailors and dockyards.
Metal: durable, made to ornament HM ships made by dockyards.
Resin: durable, made to ornament HM ships made by dockyards.
A replica badge of the 1925 Battleship HMS Rodney. Named after Admiral George Rodney (RN) 1719 - 1792 The badge bears a Eagle upon a crown.
Before todays consumer society ship badges were only occasionally given to VIP and Organisations visiting ships. It is INCORRECT to call these ornaments' crests, emblems or plaques they are BADGES!
Source
A Pictorial index of Royal Navy Ship Badges (1918 - 1995)
By Derek Taylor
A Companion to the Royal Navy
By A Campbell
Royal Navy Ships Badge
By Peter Smith
Warships of World War II
By H Lenton and J Colledge