Summary

Returned Sailors', Soldiers' & Airmen's Imperial League of Australia badge, V61252. The badge was made by Stokes & Sons, Melbourne. The badge would have been made between 1940 and 1965 when the association was named the Returned Sailor's, Soldier's and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia (RSSAILA). The '74' at the top of the badge indicates the date to which organisational membership was paid, by which time the organisation was known as the the Returned Services League of Australia (RSL).

Badges were worn by members of the Returned Sailors, Soldiers & Airmen's Imperial Australia League who returned from active service outside Australia.

Physical Description

A brass badge in the shape of a shield with a perpendicular metal attachment at the rear with two holes holding a two prong metal wire. In the centre of the obverse is a scene of a group of three men - a sailor, soldier and airman - moulded into the metal. The scene is enclosed within a blue enamel circle with printed text in gold. Underneath the circle is a scroll in red enamel with printed text in gold. In the background is a shield of white enamel with representations of wattle, a leek, a rose, thistle and shamrock (symbols of Australia, Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland respectively). Above the shield is a bulb-shape, over which a piece of metal moulded into the shape of a crown is attached by three prongs. The obverse of the crown has a number moulded onto the obverse with a blue background. There is text moulded and engraved into the reverse of the badge. . Other symbols in the badge include: the crown, which represents Australia's status as a constitutional monarchy in the Commonwealth; red, which represents the blood tie of war that exists between comrades; white, which stands for the purity of motives in joining the League - to render service without thought of personal gain or ambition; blue indicates a willingness to render that service to a comrade anywhere under the blue sky - wherever he or she may be; the sailor, soldier, and airman marching together enclosed within a circle shows that within the circle of the League, all services and all ranks march together in unity and comradeship.

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