The Unofficial British Legion Badge Number Year List

British Legion Badge Membership Numbers 1921-1954

As there are no official records the following index should only be used as guide to estimating the age and date of badge manufacture based upon 'Appendix 5 BRITISH LEGION MEMBERSHIP' of Graham Wootton's "..the official history of the British Legion" published 1956 MacDonald & Evans Ltd.

These numbers although only an unofficial guide do not cover old stock kept by branches, batch ordering by the Legion, natural wastage, deaths or appointed life members.

1946 New Form of Women's Section (small) Badge

1946 New Form of Women's Section Badge; Betty Underhill's book 'The Story of The Royal British Legion Women's Section' published 2000 page 21.."A new form of Women's Section badge had been approved and it was agreed with the British Legion that this should be worn at all times on the right, and the British Legion badge to be worn on the left."

A Fair Assumption

Although currently there is no information to date to prove otherwise it is a fair assumption that if the Women's Section had adopted a new form of badge then the British Legion would have adopted one also.

New April 2008

Since the recent discovery of a 1928 hallmarked Birmingham Medal Company Gold the following times lines could be taken as a approximation:

BL Large & Miniature Badges: Time Line
J. R. Gaunt, London - RBL, BL 1921  - 1928
BMBC (B'ham Medal & Badge Co) BL 1928 - 1946
Birmingham Medal Company - BL 1928 - 1946
B'ham Medal & Badge Co BL 1928 - 1946

BL Small Badges: Time Line
J. R. Gaunt, London - BL 1946 - 1971

 

British Legion Badge Number Year List

	Year		British Legion		Women's Section		Total
	1921		18,106		-		-
	1922		116,426		6,560		122,986
	1923		139,546		7,840		147,386
	1924		145,013		15,760		160,773
	1925		180,186		19,260		199,446
*	1926		141,680		13,980		155,660
	1927		202,826		51,060		253,886
	1928		219,096		61,500		280,596
	1929		312,506		84,900		397,406
	1930		299,120		107,580		406,700
	1931		311,253		95,320		406,573
	1932		310,120		115,200		425,320
	1933		326,720		102,240		428,960
	1934		343,413		108,000		451,413
	1935		357,680		111,680		469,360
	1936		375,640		108,120		483,760
	1937		392,133		123,840		515,973
	1938		409,000		101,900		510,900
	1939		399,293		127,120		526,413
	1940		351,506		100,500		452,006
	1941		326,053		119,280		445,333
	1942		360,320		123,400		483,720
	1943		405,053		139,980		545,033
	1944		451,613		154,440		606,053
	1945		534,573		164,340		698,903
	1946		814,146		202,077		1,016,223
	1947		940,640		216,865		1,157,505
	1948		991,800		243,035		1,234,835
	1949		864,413		250,978		1,115,391
	1950		764,373		243,489		1,007,862
	1951		683,866		237,479		921,345
	1952		723,770		238,318		962,088
	1953		648,920		227,413		876,333
	1954		628,970		218,659		847,628

Originally published on The Royal British Legion in North Staffordshire On-line Museum' Legion Badges Numbers Guide  page.

Notes
1. These figures, with one exception, are calculated from affiliation fees (i.e. membership dues). But as very many members are under the Legion's Constitution, excused payment of fees (e.g. sick and old age pensioners), the figures under rate the Legion membership. Thus in 1954, for instance, the Legion estimated that it's true membership was about 1 million. The exception is that from 1946 onwards the Women's Section figures is based on returns from branches.

2. Up to and including 1925, the figures relate to 31st December. From 1926 onwards, the relevant date is 30th September. The 1926 figures, therefore cover a period of nine months only.*

3. Badge numbers where used as membership numbers as illustrated in the membership card below. Although long obsolete with the Royal British Legion, the Royal British Legion Scotland still issues this form of membership card today.

4. The recently acquired 1937 Branch Price List indicates that there where two types of Ordinary Members badge, firstly Ordinary Members, official numbered sold at 1/- (1 Shilling) each. Ordinary Members [1]in miniature (stud or pin fastening) sold at 1/- (1 Shilling) each.

Honorary Members, officially numbered (button hole and pin fastening) sold at 1/- (1 Shilling) each.

[1]To be sold only to members in possession of the officially numbered Badge. Miniature badges continued to be manufactured right up until around the late 1970s.

Disclaimer:
Badge dating used by the collectors club are based upon known membership numbers and corresponding dates. These dates are estimates and not actual dates of manufacture and should only be used as a guide for the British Legion Large badge and Women's Section Large and New Form ONLY does not apply to the Small British Legion Badge. These numbers do not take into consideration old stock, batch ordering, natural wastage, deaths and or life members.