Second World War ‘On War Service’ Merchant Navy 'MN' lapel badge

Second World War Merchant Navy 'MN' , ON WAR SERVICE lapel badge

An original Second World War Merchant Navy lapel badge: the letters MN
within an oval of rope, knotted with a reef knot at the base, the whole
surmounted by a naval crown. Fitted to the reverse with the crescent, or
half moon, buttonhole fastener of the official issue pattern.

This small badge carried a considerable weight of meaning. Merchant Navy
officers wore the uniform of the shipping line they sailed with, but most
merchant seamen ashore wore ordinary civilian clothes. There was nothing
to mark them out. In the First World War that had been a real grievance:
no badge was issued, and merchant seafarers in port were frequently taken
for men avoiding service, despite the merchant fleet losing some 2,500
ships and around 15,000 men.

The Board of Trade did not repeat the mistake. A lapel badge was approved
in 1939 and the Royal Mint struck 734,000 of them that year, in sterling
silver and approved by the King. Issue began on 1 January 1940 to all
officers and men of the Merchant Navy, and it served as both an identity
badge and a National Service badge. It was not restricted to British
seamen: crews of allied merchantmen and foreign nationals serving in
British registered ships received it too. Issue ended on 31 December 1946,
though nobody was ever told to stop wearing one.

Worn on the lapel, it said plainly that the man in the civilian suit was
crossing the Atlantic in convoy. The Merchant Navy suffered a higher
proportional casualty rate than any of the armed services in the Second
World War.

A well worn, honest example with good age patina and the fastener intact.