{"product_id":"wwi-canadian-expeditionary-force-cef-general-service-cap-badge","title":"WWI Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) General Service Bronze Cap Badge","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eAn authentic, original WWI Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) General Service Cap Badge. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eWhen the First World War broke out in 1914, Canada immediately raised a massive volunteer force known as the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eInitially, Canadian soldiers were outfitted in uniforms heavily patterned after the British Army. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eThe General Service cap badge—with its distinct Maple Leaf motif—was intentionally introduced to establish a clear visual national identity. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eThis ensured Canadian troops were immediately distinguishable from their British counterparts on the battlefields of Europe. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eUnlike other commonwealth nations, the Canadian military system during WWI organized volunteers into a fluid system of over 250 temporary, numbered infantry battalions (e.g., 103rd, 114th, or 227th) rather than traditional permanent regiments. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eBecause it took time for these newly \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 20px;\"\u003emobilised\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e numbered battalions to design, fund, and manufacture their own \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 20px;\"\u003especialised\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e unit badges, the General Service badge served as a universal placeholder. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eIt was issued to all new recruits, reinforcing a shared identity during initial camp \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 20px;\"\u003emobilisations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e in Canada and training periods overseas. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eOnce battalions arrived at the front lines, many unassigned reinforcements or depot troops continued to wear this general list insignia for the duration of their deployment. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eThis badge is in an overall good condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eDie struck Bronze with lugs to the rear. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eThe photographs are of the actual item and form part of the description. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003ePlease examine the photographs carefully and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Haywards Antiques \u0026 Collectables","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57281344995593,"sku":null,"price":15.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/5437\/0569\/files\/DE2A99E1-9CED-4093-B44C-4130DC4252EB_1_105_c-Photoroom.png?v=1787835816","url":"https:\/\/haywardsantiques.co.uk\/products\/wwi-canadian-expeditionary-force-cef-general-service-cap-badge","provider":"Haywards Antiques \u0026 Collectables","version":"1.0","type":"link"}