WW2 AUSTRALIAN MOTHER’S & WIDOW’S RELATIVES SON IN SERVICE BADGES KIA AIR FORCE 1944

Description

Offered is an original pair of badges, including WW2 era Mother’s/Women’s ‘son in service’ & widows badges. Good condition to both, showing one star to each bar, being stamped AF 51345 & AF 6321, both 1944 dated, by G Rodd & both having had additional chain and safety pin added for wear. These came to us together and I would expect they belonged to the same grieving mother whose flyboy son was KIA having served in the R.A.A.F. sometime in 1944. Rare to see a pair like this, as you generally only see one or the other come up.

The Mother’s and Wives Badge was issued for active service abroad during the Second World War, a single badge was issued to the nearest female relative of members of the RAN, the Australian Imperial Force (including members of the Australian Army Nursing Service), and the Royal Australian Air Force. Stars displayed on a bar suspended below the badge represented the number of relatives involved in the war effort. Authority for the issue of the badge was given under AIF Order 200, 14 February 1941.

The Mothers’ and Widows’ Badge was issued to the mother and/or widow of a member of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Imperial Force (including the Australian Army Nursing Service), Royal Australian Air Force or Merchant Navy killed in action, or died of wounds or from other causes whilst on service or as a result of such service.Additional stars were added in the case of the death of more than one child.