A very rare and possibly unique King's Home Service Messenger's badge, George VI, oval, silver,

A very rare and possibly unique King's Home Service Messenger's badge, George VI, oval, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, the convex central plaque with the crowned Royal Cypher in relief, the border with 'KING'S HOME SERVICE MESSENGER' in silver to a green enamel ground, the reverse engraved '18', vertical pin hinged at the top and secured by a loop at the bottom, 43 x 35 mm, Sebastian Garrard, London, 1942, obverse centre with loss to gilding, otherwise extremely fine; in original Garrard case.

The Bamber Collection

Similar in form to the George VI King's Messenger's Badge, but with the Home Service title against green enamel to the border. The Home Service Messengers were a select body of men responsible for conveying sensitive material between government departments in London during the Second World War, and these badges were used as a method of identifying them. It is believed that only twenty such badges were ever made by Garrard, and this appears to be the only known extant example.