Military Badge Collecting Bookshop
We've done some research to find military insignia reference books on the internet - click on the hyperlinks to buy direct from Amazon.co.uk. (A number of North American customers have commented that even with shipping costs, Amazon.co.uk is cheaper than its US partner Amazon.com).
The books listed are ones that we use on a regular basis. In many cases they show insignia reference numbers that we use on our mail-order catalogues. Please note that these books are sold by Amazon.co.uk - not by Ian Kelly (Militaria). A number of books do not have links to Amazon - this is because they are out-of-print. We have kept the details of suitable out-of-print books on my web site so that you can use the information to buy them second-hand from another dealer.
Akers, MA. 1985. British
Fire Service Cap Badges - Volume 1 - 1974-1985. ISBN 0951093207: MA
Akers
.
Click here to buy this book
Akers, MA. 1989.
British
Fire Service Cap Badges and Buttons - Volume 2 - 1947-1974. ISBN
0951093215: MA Akers.
An excellent book with full colour photographs of every cap badge in the period
covered (1947-1974). Buttons are described but not illustrated.
Click here to buy this book
Audax, CE. 1992. Badge
Backings and Special Embellishments of the British Army. ISBN
0951434209: UDR Benevolent Fund.
A superb unique reference work - the only book on this subject. Many pictures
and information direct from the regiments concerned.
Click here to buy this book
Baily's. 2000. Baily's
Hunting Directory. ISBN 0953318109: Pearson Publishing.
Describes hunt uniforms and illustrates hunt buttons for the UK, Ireland,
America, the Commonwealth and Europe. The most useful book dealing with
hunt buttons.
Click here to buy this book
Bennett, RW. 1994. Badges
of the Worcestershire Regiment. ISBN 0952423103: RW Bennett
Click here to buy this book
Bloomer, WH & KD. 1973. Scottish Regimental
Badges 1793-1971 including Commonwealth Forces. ISBN 0853684294: Arms and
Armour Press.
Bragg, RJ & Turner, R.. 1979. Parachute
Badges and Insignia of the World. ISBN 0713708824: Blandford Press Ltd.
Bragg, RJ & Turner, R. 1985. Parachute
Wings. ISBN 0950642622: Peter A Heims Ltd.
This book is one of the major references in the field of military badge
collecting. Each badge is numbered and many badge dealers refer to their stock
using 'Bragg and Turner' numbers from this book and their earlier similar work.
If you are going to buy Parachute Wings by mail order, then you need this book.
Click here to buy this book
Burns, KV. 1986. Badges
and Battle Honours of HM Ships. ISBN 0907771262: Maritime Books
Click here to buy this book
Carroll, W. 1997. Eagles
Recalled. ISBN 0764302442: Schiffer Publishing.
Air Force Wings of Canada, Great Britain and the Commonwealth 1913-1945
Click here to buy this book
Churchill, C & Westlake, R. 1986. British
Army Collar Badges 1881 to the Present - An Illustrated Guide for Collectors.
ISBN 0853688958: Arms and Armour Press.
Probably the only specialist book on the subject - unfortunately no longer in
print. Second-hand copies are quite scarce.
Cole, HN. 1993. Formation Badges of World War 2 -
Britain, Commonwealth and Empire. ISBN 0853680787: Arms and Armour Press.
Congdon, P. 1985. Behind the Hangar Doors.
ISBN 0951013904: Sonik Books.
Written by a serving RAF Regiment officer, this is an interesting and wide-ranging book covering history, heraldry and etiquette of the Royal Air
Force. There are excellent sections on insignia.
Corbett, DA. 1980. The
Regimental Badges of New Zealand. ISBN 0908596057: Ray Richards, New
Zealand.
An excellent book suitable for both beginners and advanced collectors. Cap badges, collar badges, shoulder titles and buttons. 320 pages with
photographs of over 1000 badges. An illustrated history of the badges, mottoes and battle honours of the Regular and Volunteer units of the New Zealand
Army from the 1840's to the 1970's.
Click here to buy this book
Cossum, JK. 1994. Australian Army Badges - A Collectors Reference Guide - part 1 - 1930 - 1942. ISBN 0949530115: JK Cossum.
Cossum, JK. 1994. Australian Army Badges - A
Collectors Reference Guide - part 2 - 1900 - 1930. ISBN 0949530123: JK
Cossum.
Cossum, JK. 1994. Australian Army Badges - A
Collectors Reference Guide - part 3 - 1948 - 1985. ISBN 0949530131: JK
Cossum.
Cossum, JK. 1986. Australian Army Badges - The
Rising Sun Badge. JK Cossum.
Cox, RHW. 1982.
Military Badges of the British Empire 1914-18. ISBN 0510000827: Naval and Military Press.
An excellent book with photographs of over 3200 First World War badges.
This is one of the few books to cover British Empire badges in depth. Out of print, but second-hand copies are well worth buying.
Click here to buy this book
Davis, BL. 1993. British Army Uniforms &
Insignia of World War Two. ISBN 0713717378: Blandford Press.
Davis, BL. 1988. NATO Forces - An Illustrated
Reference to their Organization and Insignia. ISBN 185409159X: Arms and
Armour Press.
Davis, BL. 1987. US Army Cloth Insignia 1941 to the
Present. ISBN 0853688508: Arms and Armour Press.
Edwards, TJ. 1981.
Regimental Badges. ISBN 0510000835: Benn.
Excellent line-drawings of British Army Cap Badges.
Click here to buy this book
Edwards, D & Langley, D. 1984. British
Army Proficiency Badges. ISBN 0950942707: Wardley Publishing.
Forty, G. 1998. British
Army Handbook 1935 - 1945. ISBN 0750914033: Sutton Publishing.
An impressive 369 pages covering mobilization & training, command structures, weapons, equipment, vehicles, tactics, abbreviations, signals codes,
badges and medals. The text is backed-up with over 300 photographs. The author spent 32 years in the Royal Tank Regiment, retiring as a Lieutenant
Colonel. He later became the Curator of the Tank Museum at Bovington, Dorset.
Click here to buy this book
Froggatt, DJ. 1986. Railway Buttons, Badges &
Uniforms. ISBN 0711016496: Ian Allan Ltd.
Gaylor, J. 2002.
Military
Badge Collecting. ISBN 0850525241: Leo Cooper.
6th revised edition of a photographic reference covering 800 military badges from the period 1881 to 1996, with an explanation of the evolution of military
badges, and advice on the acquisition, mounting and storage of badges. Includes sections on tartan badge-backings and feather hackles.
Click here to buy this book
Gordon, DB. 1998. Tommy
- Volume One. ISBN 1575100428: Pictorial Histories Publishing.
A useful, well-researched hand-book covering WW2 British uniforms, equipment.
weapons and vehicles- written by a re-enactor for re-enactors. Lots of
illustrations.
Click here to buy this book
Harfield, AG. 1982. Head Dress, Badges and Embellishments of the Royal Corps of Signals. ISBN 0902633813: Picton Publishing (Chippenham).
Hobart, MC. 2000. Badges
and Uniforms of the Royal Air Force. ISBN 0850527392: Pen & Sword
Books.
Recently published - excellent book on Royal Air Force insignia - includes Royal
Observer Corps and Air Cadets. This is the only specialist RAF badge book
still in print.
Click here to buy this book
Kipling, AL & King, HL. 1995. Head-Dress
Badges of the British Army - Volume 1 - Up to the end of the Great War.
ISBN 0584109474: Muller, Blond & White Ltd.
An excellent book with black and white photographs of nearly 1900 cap badges.
Each badge is numbered and the numbers are used by dealers and collectors as the
'industry-standard' to refer to cap badges. If you are going to buy cap badges
by mail order, then you need this book.
Click here to buy this book
Kipling, AL & King, HL. 1994. Head-Dress
Badges of the British Army - Volume 2 - From the end of the Great War to the
Present Day. ISBN 0584109482: Muller, Blond & White Ltd.
An excellent book with black and white photographs of many cap badges. Each
badge is numbered and the numbers are used by dealers and collectors as the
'industry-standard' to refer to cap badges. If you are going to buy cap badges
by mail order, then you need this book.
Click here to buy this book
Linaker, D & Dine G. 1997. Cavalry Warrant
Officers' and Non-Commissioned Officers' Arm Badges. ISBN 0951060333:
Military Historical Society.
Loughran, JL. 1995. Brown's
Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World. ISBN 0851746349:
Brown, Son & Ferguson
Useful for identifying Merchant Navy buttons and insignia - 1088 illustrations
of shipping company liveries.
Click here to buy this book
May, WE; Carman, WY & Tanner, J. 1974. Badges
and Insignia of the British Armed Services. ISBN 0713613440: A & C
Black Ltd
An excellent book with 6 colour plates, 39 black 7 white photographs and 765 line drawings. The book is in 3 sections to cover the Royal Navy, the Army
and the Royal Air Force. The authors were senior directors of the national museums of the respective services. It is a particularly good reference
for Royal Naval branch & trade insignia. Unfortunately no longer in print, it contains much information unavailable elsewhere. Try to get a
second-hand copy if you can.
Mills, J. 1997. Doing
Their Bit - Home Front Lapel Badges 1939-1945. ISBN 0952811405: Wardens Publishing
'Doing Their Bit' is a superb unique reference work covering lapel badges worn during the Second World War 1939-1945. The badges are illustrated in colour,
together with dates and history of each badge. The badges were worn on civilian clothes to denote that wearers were 'doing their bit' to contribute towards the
war effort. This is the only book on the subject and is also a useful research reference regarding the many short-lived organisations that appeared during WW2.
Click here to buy this book
Mills, J. 1993. A People's Army - Civil Defence and
Uniforms 1939-1945. Wardens Publishing
Morgan, JLP & Thurman, T. 1997. American
Military Patch Guide. ISBN 1884452337: Medals of America Press
Click here to buy this book
Nevill, T. 1999. The
Scottish Regiments. ISBN 1861262841: Crowood Press
A colour guide to the legendary Scottish regiments of today's British Army. The regular units covered are: The Scots Guards; The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards; The
Royal Scots; The Royal Highland Fusiliers; The King's Own Scottish Borderers; The Black Watch; The Highlanders; and The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The
text details the units, their organization, equipment, weapons and vehicles and their uniforms and insignia. Illustrated with more than 100 colour photographs
of Scottish soldiers in combat dress, training and working in the field, and on parade, this book is part of the "Europa Militaria" series
Click here to buy this book
Owen, CR. 1990. The Military Badges and Insignia of
Southern Africa. ISBN 0620154381: Chimperie Agencies
.
Parkyn, HG. 1956 (re-printed 1986). (Military)
Shoulder-Belt Plates and Buttons. ISBN 0950853054: Ray Westlake
.
Seaman, P. 1994. Arm
Badges of the British Cavalry Regiments. ISBN 0952426102: P Seaman.
Click here to buy this book
Taylor, MB & Wilkinson, S. 1995.
Badges
of Office - an Illustrated Guide to the Helmets and Badges of the British Police
1829 to 1989. ISBN 0901718521: PICA GB.
Click here to buy this book
Taylor, P. 2000. Allied
Special Forces Insignia 1939 - 1948. ISBN 0850525829: Leo Cooper.
Click here to buy this book
Taylor, P. 1998. Collecting
Anodised Cap Badges. ISBN 085052637X: Leo Cooper.
This book lists nearly every anodised cap badge which has ever been used by the
British Forces. Black & white line drawings of badges.
Click here to buy this book
Thomas, C & Endean Ivall, D. 1976. Military Insignia of Cornwall. ISBN 0903686147: Penwith Books. Click here to buy this book
Thomas, M & Lord C. 1995. New Zealand Army
Distinguishing Patches 1911-1991 - Part One. ISBN 0473032880: Thomas &
Lord, New Zealand.
Thomas, M & Lord C. 1995. New Zealand Army
Distinguishing Patches 1911-1991 - Part Two. ISBN 0473032899: Thomas &
Lord, New Zealand.
Thompson, L. 1999. Badges
and Insignia of the Elite Forces. ISBN 0713713291: Blandford.
Click here to buy this book
Thornton, WM. 1997. Submarine
Insignia of the World. ISBN 0850525365: Leo Cooper.
Click here to buy this book
Westlake, R. 1997. Collecting
Metal Shoulder Titles. ISBN 0850525055: Leo Cooper.
This is an excellent book with black and white photographs of over 1800 British
Army metal shoulder titles, and descriptions of many more. Each badge is
numbered and the numbers are used by dealers and collectors as the
'industry-standard' to refer to shoulder titles. If you are going to buy British
Army shoulder titles by mail order, then you need this book.
Click here to buy this book
Whittaker, LB. 1990. Stand Down - Orders of
Battle for the units of the Home Guard of the United Kingdom. ISBN
1871167140: Ray Westlake Military Books.
An excellent book on the Home Guard, including locations, dates, insignia and unit commanders.
Windle, D. 2000. Badges
and Insignia of the Royal Air Force. ISBN 1854095293: Cassell Military.
Click here to buy this book