Encyclopedia

Female Relatives Badge

Female Relatives Badges were issued to the wife and/or mother (or nearest female relative) of those on active service overseas during the First and Second World Wars.

Department of Defence Female Relatives’ Badge, First World War. The badge reads "Issued by the Department of Defence. To women of Australia. For duty done".
AWM REL/11143

There were two badges issued during the First World War. One was issued to the nearest female relative of soldiers, airmen, nurses and masseuses who left Australia for active service abroad; the other to the nearest female relative of members of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) who had enlisted for general naval sea service for at least a period of the war, and who actually performed service outside Australian waters. A bar was suspended below the badge to indicate additional relatives involved in the war effort. The Female Relatives Badge was promulgated under Military Order 280 of 1917 and superseded by Military Order 1818 of 1918.

RAN Female Relatives Badge, First World War. The badge reads "Royal Australian Navy. To women of Australia. For duty done".
AWM REL/18508

In the Second World War there was only one badge issued to the nearest female relative of members of the RAN, the Australian Imperial Force (including members of the Australian Army Nursing Service), and the Royal Australian Air Force on active service abroad. Stars displayed on a bar suspended below the badge represented the number of relatives involved in the war effort. Authority for the issue of the badge in the Second World War was issued under AIF Order 200 dated 14 February 1941.

Second World War Female Relatives Badge. The badge reads "To the women of Australia"
AWM REL30287

Sources

• Supplement to The Argus, 11 April 1942
• Collection Search

More about:

• Mothers and Widows Badge
• Registers of Issued Medals and Badges 1939-45 War, 1914-18 War [archival series MT1384/2]
  This archival series held at the Melbourne office of the National Archives of Australia can be used to identify who medals and badges were issued to.