Lot 2287

Description

Melbourne Militors, cap badge, in gilt and enamel (34x33mm), by Stokes, pin-back. Good very fine and rare.

The Melbourne Militors (a Latin word that means 'little soldiers') held their first meeting in August 1940. Its mostly young girl members aged from 16 to 26 trained in first aid, home nursing, despatch riding, ARP, Morse code as well as rifle shooting at the Moreland miniature rifle range and military drill, this under the instruction of an army sergeant, and its officers had military titles. The uniform selected comprised khaki shorts and shirt worn with a bottle green tie and khaki woollen socks. They wore a Tank Corps cap with a badge being a disc with MM in gold, with a row of gold oak leaves below. On 1 December 1941 the group numbering about 300 decided to disband because of what they felt was the government's discouraging attitude toward making full use of women for war work. Miss Helen Caught, the adjutant, said the names of members were to be left on the Women's Voluntary Register for national service but meetings were to be discontinued.