Submarine badge for Identification

[popskipa]

Back..

[popskipa]

Side on, showing lugs..

[popskipa]

I would welcome the help of the forum in identifying this submarine badge.

Around 2 inches long, in white metal with two copper securing lugs.

From what country, and when?

Thank you, Keith

[byterock]

I initial though was Italy but they had no subs with this silhouette so I am leaning to the French or perhaps a UK sweetheart pin?

Going to have to dig a little deeper

[scotty1418]

Not French issue.

The lugs would suggest UK perhaps?

Design looks more sweetheart to me...

[byterock]

I am leaning to-ward UK sweetheart pin as I matched silhouette from my copy of Jane's Fighting ships 1947-48 as a UK T-Class sub.

That being said the 'T-Class' was also used by the IDF and the HNLM.

There is some debate is if the 'T' was a success or not. It served well into the 1970s but suffered 25% casualties during the war, 1 mysterious sinking, and 1 tragic collision after the war and in its post war configuration it was a terrible sea keeper, and a dreaded station by anyone it the Sub-Service.

[peter monahan]

Good sleuthing to get T Class! I agree on 'sweetheart' rather than an issue badge.

[popskipa]

Thank you all for your input.

I posted images of the badge on the British and Commonwealth Military Badge forum and have reached the following conclusion:

The badge is loosely styled on the British A or T Class submarine. Circa 1939-1945 the badge was worn by sweethearts of Royal Navy submariners and unofficially by some submarine crew. The Royal Navy did not introduce submarine speciality insignia until 1958.

Image of the unofficial submariner badge being worn, thank you to the owner of this image...

Keith