Good Conduct Badge

[mollie]

Does anyone know what a Good Conduct Badge would look like? My grandfather received one on 12 Feb 1918 whilst aboard HMS Gossamer. His rank was Able Seaman. Thanks

[Batstiger]

Hi Mollie. The attached picture is of myself and wife to be. On my left arm is a good conduct badge in the form of a stripe which denotes four years good service (or undetected crime).
In your Grandfathers case in 1918 I think it was for three years good service.

Bob.

[Odin]

Yes the earlier good conduct badges were for 3 years service. Up to three stripes were worn by ratings and POs but not Chief Petty Officers.

[mollie]

Thankyou lovely picture too. Would my grandfather's uniform been similar to the one you were wearing?

[Batstiger]

This was the Naval uniform of 1918 Mollie.

Bob.

[Jan Steer]

Well blow me down! I never knew that. Do you know what year they changed from three to four years service?
regards
Jan

[tonclass]

I'd like to know too, as I had to persevere for 4 years to get mine ..............!!!

[Joseph]

1946. Badge pay stopped 1970.

Regards Charles

[Kevin123]

Hi. When my grandfather retired from the Royal Navy in 1932 he had three good conduct stripes. Would he have been entitled to still wear them when he was recalled in 1939. On his service record it states that he was awarded another one in 1944. This photo was taken on his wedding day in 1931. Thanks. Kevin.

[Batstiger]

Hi Kevin

This is a DEFINITE Affirmative. The Three badgeman is entitled to wear his previous service Good Conduct Badges.

Proven Case: Stoker Mechanic 1 TAYLOR W P/SKX 750682.

Left RN as 2 Badge Steward and rejoined As a Stoker Mechanic with his 2 x G C Bs.

Good Luck for now

Bob.

[Kevin123]

Thanks Bob. My dad was only six when my grandfather was demobbed in 1945. He couldn't remember for sure if he still wore them. He was granted his first stripe in 1913 but lost it in 1916. We think this was for overstaying his leave. He also spent a couple of nights in DQ's. They were hard in those days. Kevin.

[james_harvey]

If you had 3 gc badges when you left the navy and were recalled for ww2 would the ww2 service count towards a lsgc medal? i have seen a service record where a man left service in 1937 after 12 yrs and was then recalled for ww2, serving for 6 yrs but no lsgc medal is mention on his service record.

[Fairlead]

Check through his conduct and assessment columns and see if he had a break in VG Conduct - that would have cost him the medal.

Fairlead

[Dave Hutson]

Hi James,

This is without seeing the service record in question.

Left service 1937 after 12 years service - Question: Were the 12 years mans time, that is, service time did not start until age 18 - so if he joined at 15 he would only have 9 years in by 1939 thus earning 2 GC badges.

Rejoined for WW2 served 6 years - it would have needed 3 full years to qualify for 3rd GC badge and another 3 full years to qualify for LSGC Medal. It could be that he was demobbed short of the 6th year.

Going back to the question of the Defence Medal - I believe this was only given to personnel who served a qualifying time in the UK during the Second World War, thus the title Defence Medal.

Hope this helps.

Regards .... Dave H

Agree with Fairlead - any misdemeanours could have extended the GC time needed to qualify for LSGC Medal

[james_harvey]

hi dave

service started 9/8/27 as stoker 2nd class ended 8 aug 39 as cs expired rated leading stoker.

1st gc badge 9/8/30 2nd badge 9/8/35

rejoined 10/7/40 as stoker 1st class left 29/1/46 as SPO(ty) service record is marked until the end of the present emergency.
3rd GC badge 10/7/41 1 yr after rejoining.

His Character assessment VG Sat 1927-43
VG Sup 1944-1946.

he would have done 5 1/2 yrs after his 3rd GC Badge but his record is not marked RMG after each assessment unlike other S/R that i have seen.

this is a puzzling case

regards

James

[Odin]

I have been going through all my medal books to try to establish the rules for the LS Medal. Unfortunately I can't find a definitive answer.

Normally people talk about not having a break in VG or better conduct. If you get a report below that early in your service I believe you can recover & get your LS if you then have 15 years of continuous VG conduct or better after that event before you leave the service.

However you have left the service and then are recalled one could argue you have got a break in VG Conduct (because you weren't reported on for those years - a bit harsh perhaps). Certainly without the recommendation for his medal and gratuity (RMG) written on his papers he would never have got his Long Service.

[oldsalt]

We had a Chief Stoker in Ark Royal who had a BEM but no LSGC medal. In my own case, my LSGC medal was due in Nov 1965, however, I was promoted to Engineer Sub Lieutenant in Nov. 63. Gold braid but no LSGC medal. :(:(:(:rolleyes:

[Odin]

They changed the rules in March 1981 - Officers who had served 15 years, of which at least 12 years had been spent in the ranks, could apply for their LS&GCs (they have to apply for the medal, it is not issued automatically). Sadly that is too late for your particular case.

I believe they have changed the rules again and now you only need to do 9 years in the ranks if you are an officer to be able to claim your medal at the 15 year point.

The Ch Sto with the BEM but no LSGC is unusual. I am aware of other anomolies like officers who are 'passed over' for promotion because they have missed their window, then lose seniority for some reason which takes them back into the promotion window and they subsequently get promoted. Not common but also not unheard of.

[james_harvey]

I have a set of medals to a torpedo coxswain rated cpo, he got the 14-15 trio and a royal fleet reserve long service medal.

When i found his records, he was pensioned on 23 nov 1918 and was accepted to the fleet reserves, he lost his good conduct badges and sentenced to cells and reduced to 2nd class for conduct whilst an AB in 1900. he then turn his career around and got VG for 17 years when pensioned but was denied the lsgc medal, when he transfered his previous time counted and he qualified for the rfr lsgc medal, just shows you how they stuck to the rules as far back as ww1.

regards

james

[jainso31]

My old Dad ,long gone now; (1966) was a 3badge AB which were in RED and
GOLD as were his trade badges.I assume the Gold was for Dress Wear
Re. DEFENCE MEDAL
This was awarded for service of not less than 3yrs in the UK but there many
places throughout the world where 6mths- one yrs service in a non operational area subject to air attack
such as Ceylon,Gibraltar,malta etc. plus other variations,eg.given when life lost in an act of gallantry warranting an award.


jainso31

[Francis Stanley]

My old Dad ,long gone now; (1966) was a 3badge AB which were in RED and
GOLD as were his trade badges.I assume the Gold was for Dress Wear

jainso31

Jainso
You are correct Gold badges were worn on Number 1 suits (Best)

Red badges were worn on Number 2 and number 3 suits
worn for run of the mill stuff and not going ashore or full ceremonial.
Some branches in the navy occaisionaly wore a navy blue version of the Army Battle dress jacket, and would wear Red branch badges on them.

[Mitch Hinde]

Jainso
You are correct Gold badges were worn on Number 1 suits (Best)

Red badges were worn on Number 2 and number 3 suits
worn for run of the mill stuff and not going ashore or full ceremonial.
Some branches in the navy occaisionaly wore a navy blue version of the Army Battle dress jacket, and would wear Red branch badges on them.

Hi

Am I correct in believing that members of the ships company of the Royal Yacht wore silver badges with a Royal Yacht shoulder flash?

Mitch Hinde:confused:

[davep]

Your correct the royal yacht crew wore different uniform, I think their jackets had a little tail or some decoration at the back, but I think the badges were white rather than silver but I could be wrong. On the shoulder they wore a royal yacht shoulder flash.

[Mac Hendry]

Jainso
You are correct Gold badges were worn on Number 1 suits (Best)

Red badges were worn on Number 2 and number 3 suits
worn for run of the mill stuff and not going ashore or full ceremonial.
Some branches in the navy occaisionaly wore a navy blue version of the Army Battle dress jacket, and would wear Red branch badges on them.

We wore Army Battle dress jackets with red badges and berets with a red Artificers badge in the early 70's in the Hecla. Quite often a submariners sweater was worn with this rig. This "survey rig" wasn't strictly official but was worn entering and leaving harbour and ashore in RNB Devonport.

[INVINCIBLE]

Yes the earlier good conduct badges were for 3 years service. Up to three stripes were worn by ratings and POs but not Chief Petty Officers.

What was the logic for CPO’s not wearing their GCBs. I could understand it if badges were only worn with square rig and then discontinued with fore and aft rig, but if it was OK for POs to wear them why not for CPOs?

[Fairlead]

Re Royal Yacht badges and square rig:
Jumper was as for general service but tucked into the top of the doeskin trousers of the flap front type with a watermarked ribbon bow on the back.
No.1 badges were gold - No.2/3 were white - the Royal Yacht flash was worn above the branch badge on the right arm, also on the front centre of white fronts (blue badge on white) and sea jersey (white on navy blue). The cap ribbon was gold with a crown between Royal and Yacht, embroidered on a watermarked ribbon.

Fairlead

[buster185]

Hi Fairlead, that brings back some memories, didn't they wear white plimsolls with most rigs?? I obviously wasn't on the Yacht but I found my cap ribbons were also watermarked after entering and leaving Portland harbour a few times in January on a Type 15 on workup! Happy days.....!
Regards
Buster

[INVINCIBLE]

What was the logic for CPO’s not wearing their GCBs. I could understand it if badges were only worn with square rig and then discontinued with fore and aft rig, but if it was OK for POs to wear them why not for CPOs?

Pity that nobody has managed to come up with an answer as to why CPOs do not display their GCBs. Could it possibly be anything to do with NCOs above Sgt or SgtMaj (ie CPO equivalent rank) not wearing stripes on their arms? I always thought it must have been confusing seeing three badge ABs wearing the equivalent of Sgt's stripes, even if officially they did not rank/rate PO/Sgt.

[Odin]

Aparrently Chief Petty Officers did wear their Good Conduct Badges when they wore square rig uniforms and the badges were dropped when they changed to fore and aft rig. Possibly POs still wear them because when they were first promoted to PO (but not confirmed in the rank) they contuinued to wear square rig uniform. The PO below is such an example - photo taken about 1895.

[Fairlead]

Hi Buster,
Royal Yacht footware was black shoes with leather soles for No.1's and white gym shoes (scrubbed white with salt water - no blanco allowed) with white soles with working rigs. Also in tropical rig with shorts all ratings wore white stockings instead of blue.

Gordon

[buster185]

Thanks for that Gordon, they really did look the part. Unfortunately another piece of our heritage gone but not forgotten. But now you've opened up another set of recollections in my memory....blanco.....probably worthy of a thread all of its own!!
Regards
Buster

[INVINCIBLE]

RN Good Conduct Badges were different to RNR Good Service Badges. A mix of RN GCBs and RNR GSBs could be worn together. Still not convinced we have a good reason as to why CPOs did not wear GCBs.

[Scurs]

Fairlead.........Wasn't just Royal Yacht crew that wore plimsolls as working rig, we did in SURPRISE (and presumably ALERT likewise).

[Mac Hendry]

Fairlead.........Wasn't just Royal Yacht crew that wore plimsolls as working rig, we did in SURPRISE (and presumably ALERT likewise).

We wore white daps on the "H" boats,nice wooden decks didn't look good with black scuff marks.Washed and scrubbed those decks every day. The only time we wore boots was on the flight deck and cable deck and not always then.