Order Of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. A 5th class Member's (M.B.E.) 1st type breast badge. Silver (hallmarked) for 1917

With English silver hallmarks on reverse, for London, 1917 (gothic letter 'B' )

The insignia sold as a set, complete with:

- Plush leatherette hinged case of issue. The inside silk panel with King's Crown & 'Garrad & Co Ltd' logo, and with title of award in gilt tooling on outer lid
- The silk medal riband retaining it's original mounting brooch, this latter with hinged pin & clasp fittings as issued

1st type 'General Issue': During the Great War, ALL awards of the insignia of the Order of the British Empire, regardless of whether recipients were military or civilian were awarded 'General Issue' insignia, all having the same plain silk riband. Prior to December 1918, there were no Military or Civil divisions within the Order, all recipients military & civil received exactly the same insignia, ribands and cases of issue. It was only in December 1918 - more than a month after the 'Armistice', that the statutes of the Order were amended - retrospectively - with the creation of separate Military and Civil Divisions, with the insignia issued thereafter with either military or civil ribands respectively

Note: This is an item of insignia struck in the very first year of award (the Order of the Briish Empire which was only instituted in 1917), and which would have been used on awards in 1917 and into early 1918

Condition: Toned EF

Code: 22319