RARE PCMR Pacific Coast Militia Rangers Beret Helmet Cap Badge Lapel Pin Button
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:20556536 |
Please note to Foreign buyers- Shipping listed is for North American Customers only. We are happy to ship to the U.K and World Wide- please wait under after invoice has been sent as shipping will vary- we will do our best to get you the best rate possible!
Up for auction is a incredibly rare named WW2 grouping with Beret and sew on badge, PCMR Lapel pin and two PCMR photos (There was also a loose yellow piece of fabric in the hat which I have included.) The group was purchased together an...d is in great condition. The P.C.M.R. beret is quite rare as very few still exist (most P.C.M.R. headgear consisted of a Tilley or variation hat); several different clothing styles and headgear were used by the P.C.M.R. during the war. The beret itself is in fine condition, with no exterior or interior damage- beret is unmarked. The beret has the P.C.M.R. cap badge sewn into it, through several small holes located on the badge- black stitching can be seen on the interior of the beret. The P.C.M.R. cap badge is in fine condition, with excellent chocolate brown/black patina, sharp detailing on design and a overall beautiful design. The design features a totem pole atop a Canadian maple leaf and "P.C.M.R." in the center. A scroll reading "Pacific Coast Militia Rangers" can be seen around the design, with a axe and Winchester rifle crossed in the background. Below the badge the Latin term "VIGILANS" or watchful/vigilant in English can be seen. This is the sew in variation, as opposed to the lugs/fasteners on other variations. This grouping also includes the lapel pin, an easily lost P.C.M.R. identifier that is hard to find itself, let alone in a group (many were lost due to their small size, or mistaken for buttons.) The lapel pin is clearly marked on reverse:
- Pressed Metal Products (PMP) is the same Vancouver B.C. company that produced the P.C.M.R. cap badges."Pressed Metal Products Vancouver Sterling PMP"
The group also includes two photos, one with a P.C.M.R. high ranking member with a beret, next to a Canadian in a standard battle dress uniform. Note the P.C.M.R. cap badge on black beret, and P.C.M.R. cloth title on his shoulder. The second photo is equally interesting, as it shows 41 P.C.M.R. members posing for a group photograph- they hold WW2 era Sten guns (without magazines in them.) They are mostly wearing a variation of the tilley hat, and some of the P.C.M.R. armbands are visible in the photo! ", giving the location the photo was taken and the name of the veteran. The back of the photo is named H. BALDWIN and "Nanaimo
This would be a great research opportunity, to see if Baldwin was in or posted to another area later on.This would be an excellent lot for a P.C.M.R. collector looking for the rare beret, a collector/historian wishing to use the photographs and name for research, or for any WW2 Canadian high end grouping collector. NanaimoP.C.M.R. (Pacific Coast Militia Rangers.) Please see my other auctions, as I also have a separate P.C.M.R. cap badge lugged variation, as well as a separate P.C.M.R. lapel pin!
Some history on the P.C.M.R. (Pacific Coast Militia Rangers):
Modern Canadian Rangers can trace their history back to the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers (PCMR). Formed on March 3, 1942, the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers were volunteers who patrolled, performed military surveillance, and provided local defence of the coastline of British Columbia and in Yukon against the wartime threat of a possible Japanese invasion. At their height, the PCMR consisted of 15, 000 volunteers in 138 companies under three major patrol areas, which were Vancouver Island, the lower Fraser Valley and the Bridge River area. Some of the principal officers of the PCMR were Lieutenant-Colonel C.W. Peck, Lieutenant-Colonel A.L. Coote and Major H. Ashby. The Pacific Coast Militia Rangers were disbanded on September 30, 1945, after Japan's surrender in the Second World War. the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers were formed after war with Japan began in December 1941. Discussions of a "Home Guard" for British Columbia began as early as January 1942. The Home Guard were soldiers in Great Britain who could not serve in the regular forces because they were too old, physically unfit, or needed in valuable war work. These part time soldiers would have played an important role in the defence of the UK had the Germans invaded.Fear of Japanese invasion was rife in Canada after Pearl Harbor, and so the Coastal Defence Guards were started, finally reorganized and recognized as the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers (PCMR). These units were, as the name implied, unique to the west coast. They were perhaps more similar to the Partisans of the Eastern Front, or the French Resistance, in that their advantages lay in familiarity with local terrain and topography. Many experienced outdoorsmen were thus sought; and performed many roles. Some were not unlike the Australian coast watchers, remaining vigilant for signs of Japanese invasion but also training in anti-sabotage measures, and protection of lines of transportation and communication. Special training camps were set up, though some companies were too far away for their men to attend.General Order 320 of 12 August 1942 made the PCMR a corps of the Canadian Army.On 1 September 1942, a training publication called "The Ranger" was begun, in order to better disseminate useful information to the volunteers. Uniforms and InsigniaThe original uniform consisted of a simple armband, which was consistent with the international rules of warfare. In time, equipment and uniforms were made available, and the PCMR adopted many unique examples of both. Eventually, their uniform consisted of bone-dry pants, bone-dry camouflage jackets and hats similar to the later Tilley.
The organization’s early months were plagued by a lack of clothing supplies and weaponry, but such situations often breed ingenuity. Oliver’s No. 48 Company’s training for that protection was achieved through the use of flour bombs.The Pacific Coast Militia Rangers wore a distinctive set of uniform and insignia components during their brief existence.Cap BadgeAn online article by Wendy Johnson tells us that Although not much information could be found regarding the designer of the organization’s badge, an unsigned extract from a letter to Jimmie White from the founder of the rangers was located in the Oliver and District Heritage Society archives. “The badge was my own design…the badge I feel is unique. It could not well be worn anywhere except in BC. The double bitted axe and 30/30 carbine are characteristic of the area...The Thunderbird of course belongs to BC but in the case of the bird on the badge it is looking skyward instead of straight out over the horizon…It so happened that when the final sketch came to me for approval we had just been hearing about the German parachute invasion of Crete, so as a final thought I had the artist change the sketch to show the bird looking skyward. The maple leaf and the Vigilans complete the story.”
The PCMR’s early months were met with a distinct lack of supplies in appropriate clothing and weaponry. This changed, however, after the first Japanese incendiary balloons and a standard kit issue was developed to include: steel helmets, cloth “” shooting hat, armbands, cloth “” cruiser coat with shoulder straps, cloth “” trousers and battle dress drill blouse with .303 rifles issued. Although the PCMR never engaged the enemy they played a crucial role in establishing a sense of purpose in those who were unable to go overseas for whatever reason.dry-bakdry-bakdry-bak Rural communities also gained a feeling of security knowing that there were able-bodied men on patrol at many of BC’s remote locales. All in an effort to deter the potential invading marauders whether by air, land or sea. Finally on September 30, 1945 at Brockton Point Oval, the PCMR were stood down. At the ceremony, Major General F.F. Worthington noted that, “”the citizens of this country owe you a great debt of gratitude for the services you have rendered in the defence of their homes.
A fine and seldom seen WW2 P.C.M.R. grouping for your consideration.
Russell Militaria is proud to present a selection of NWMP/RNWMP, German P.O.W. and WW1/WW2 Canadian Militaria amongst other items from our private collection. These items were taken care and enjoyed on display; and it is time to pass them on to museums and private collections where they can be seen. Many of the North West Mounted Police/ Royal North West Mounted Police and P.O.W. items are incredibly hard to find, and would look wonderful in your collection!
I combine shipping! Foreign buyers please wait until after I have sent you an invoice, as all packages must be shipped tracked!Good luck and Happy bidding! I combine shipping on ALL purchases!!!
Please see my other auctions for great militaria!
If you have any questions, additional photo requests comments or further information on this item, please contact me and I will get back to you asap!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R U S S E L L M I L I T A R I A is proud to bring you new militaria every month!
Information:
-Customer satisfaction is very important to us- if you have any questions, comments or information please let me know before leaving feedback and I will work hard to make sure you are satisfied!
-We reserve the right to end all auctions at any time!
-All items shipped outside of Canada and U.S. (with some minor exceptions) MUST be insured and tracked to avoid theft and loss! This protects both the buyer and seller and ensures the safety of the item.
------------------
Shipping
------------------
-We work hard to find the most affordable and safe rate for you! Please wait until AFTER I have sent you an invoice before paying for your item, especially for bidders outside of Canada and U.S. as shipping rates vary widely.
Thank you and happy bidding!! :)
Up for auction is a incredibly rare named WW2 grouping with Beret and sew on badge, PCMR Lapel pin and two PCMR photos (There was also a loose yellow piece of fabric in the hat which I have included.) The group was purchased together an...d is in great condition. The P.C.M.R. beret is quite rare as very few still exist (most P.C.M.R. headgear consisted of a Tilley or variation hat); several different clothing styles and headgear were used by the P.C.M.R. during the war. The beret itself is in fine condition, with no exterior or interior damage- beret is unmarked. The beret has the P.C.M.R. cap badge sewn into it, through several small holes located on the badge- black stitching can be seen on the interior of the beret. The P.C.M.R. cap badge is in fine condition, with excellent chocolate brown/black patina, sharp detailing on design and a overall beautiful design. The design features a totem pole atop a Canadian maple leaf and "P.C.M.R." in the center. A scroll reading "Pacific Coast Militia Rangers" can be seen around the design, with a axe and Winchester rifle crossed in the background. Below the badge the Latin term "VIGILANS" or watchful/vigilant in English can be seen. This is the sew in variation, as opposed to the lugs/fasteners on other variations. This grouping also includes the lapel pin, an easily lost P.C.M.R. identifier that is hard to find itself, let alone in a group (many were lost due to their small size, or mistaken for buttons.) The lapel pin is clearly marked on reverse:
- Pressed Metal Products (PMP) is the same Vancouver B.C. company that produced the P.C.M.R. cap badges."Pressed Metal Products Vancouver Sterling PMP"
The group also includes two photos, one with a P.C.M.R. high ranking member with a beret, next to a Canadian in a standard battle dress uniform. Note the P.C.M.R. cap badge on black beret, and P.C.M.R. cloth title on his shoulder. The second photo is equally interesting, as it shows 41 P.C.M.R. members posing for a group photograph- they hold WW2 era Sten guns (without magazines in them.) They are mostly wearing a variation of the tilley hat, and some of the P.C.M.R. armbands are visible in the photo! ", giving the location the photo was taken and the name of the veteran. The back of the photo is named H. BALDWIN and "Nanaimo
This would be a great research opportunity, to see if Baldwin was in or posted to another area later on.This would be an excellent lot for a P.C.M.R. collector looking for the rare beret, a collector/historian wishing to use the photographs and name for research, or for any WW2 Canadian high end grouping collector. NanaimoP.C.M.R. (Pacific Coast Militia Rangers.) Please see my other auctions, as I also have a separate P.C.M.R. cap badge lugged variation, as well as a separate P.C.M.R. lapel pin!
Some history on the P.C.M.R. (Pacific Coast Militia Rangers):
Modern Canadian Rangers can trace their history back to the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers (PCMR). Formed on March 3, 1942, the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers were volunteers who patrolled, performed military surveillance, and provided local defence of the coastline of British Columbia and in Yukon against the wartime threat of a possible Japanese invasion. At their height, the PCMR consisted of 15, 000 volunteers in 138 companies under three major patrol areas, which were Vancouver Island, the lower Fraser Valley and the Bridge River area. Some of the principal officers of the PCMR were Lieutenant-Colonel C.W. Peck, Lieutenant-Colonel A.L. Coote and Major H. Ashby. The Pacific Coast Militia Rangers were disbanded on September 30, 1945, after Japan's surrender in the Second World War. the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers were formed after war with Japan began in December 1941. Discussions of a "Home Guard" for British Columbia began as early as January 1942. The Home Guard were soldiers in Great Britain who could not serve in the regular forces because they were too old, physically unfit, or needed in valuable war work. These part time soldiers would have played an important role in the defence of the UK had the Germans invaded.Fear of Japanese invasion was rife in Canada after Pearl Harbor, and so the Coastal Defence Guards were started, finally reorganized and recognized as the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers (PCMR). These units were, as the name implied, unique to the west coast. They were perhaps more similar to the Partisans of the Eastern Front, or the French Resistance, in that their advantages lay in familiarity with local terrain and topography. Many experienced outdoorsmen were thus sought; and performed many roles. Some were not unlike the Australian coast watchers, remaining vigilant for signs of Japanese invasion but also training in anti-sabotage measures, and protection of lines of transportation and communication. Special training camps were set up, though some companies were too far away for their men to attend.General Order 320 of 12 August 1942 made the PCMR a corps of the Canadian Army.On 1 September 1942, a training publication called "The Ranger" was begun, in order to better disseminate useful information to the volunteers. Uniforms and InsigniaThe original uniform consisted of a simple armband, which was consistent with the international rules of warfare. In time, equipment and uniforms were made available, and the PCMR adopted many unique examples of both. Eventually, their uniform consisted of bone-dry pants, bone-dry camouflage jackets and hats similar to the later Tilley.
The organization’s early months were plagued by a lack of clothing supplies and weaponry, but such situations often breed ingenuity. Oliver’s No. 48 Company’s training for that protection was achieved through the use of flour bombs.The Pacific Coast Militia Rangers wore a distinctive set of uniform and insignia components during their brief existence.Cap BadgeAn online article by Wendy Johnson tells us that Although not much information could be found regarding the designer of the organization’s badge, an unsigned extract from a letter to Jimmie White from the founder of the rangers was located in the Oliver and District Heritage Society archives. “The badge was my own design…the badge I feel is unique. It could not well be worn anywhere except in BC. The double bitted axe and 30/30 carbine are characteristic of the area...The Thunderbird of course belongs to BC but in the case of the bird on the badge it is looking skyward instead of straight out over the horizon…It so happened that when the final sketch came to me for approval we had just been hearing about the German parachute invasion of Crete, so as a final thought I had the artist change the sketch to show the bird looking skyward. The maple leaf and the Vigilans complete the story.”
The PCMR’s early months were met with a distinct lack of supplies in appropriate clothing and weaponry. This changed, however, after the first Japanese incendiary balloons and a standard kit issue was developed to include: steel helmets, cloth “” shooting hat, armbands, cloth “” cruiser coat with shoulder straps, cloth “” trousers and battle dress drill blouse with .303 rifles issued. Although the PCMR never engaged the enemy they played a crucial role in establishing a sense of purpose in those who were unable to go overseas for whatever reason.dry-bakdry-bakdry-bak Rural communities also gained a feeling of security knowing that there were able-bodied men on patrol at many of BC’s remote locales. All in an effort to deter the potential invading marauders whether by air, land or sea. Finally on September 30, 1945 at Brockton Point Oval, the PCMR were stood down. At the ceremony, Major General F.F. Worthington noted that, “”the citizens of this country owe you a great debt of gratitude for the services you have rendered in the defence of their homes.
A fine and seldom seen WW2 P.C.M.R. grouping for your consideration.
Russell Militaria is proud to present a selection of NWMP/RNWMP, German P.O.W. and WW1/WW2 Canadian Militaria amongst other items from our private collection. These items were taken care and enjoyed on display; and it is time to pass them on to museums and private collections where they can be seen. Many of the North West Mounted Police/ Royal North West Mounted Police and P.O.W. items are incredibly hard to find, and would look wonderful in your collection!
I combine shipping! Foreign buyers please wait until after I have sent you an invoice, as all packages must be shipped tracked!Good luck and Happy bidding! I combine shipping on ALL purchases!!!
Please see my other auctions for great militaria!
If you have any questions, additional photo requests comments or further information on this item, please contact me and I will get back to you asap!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R U S S E L L M I L I T A R I A is proud to bring you new militaria every month!
Information:
-Customer satisfaction is very important to us- if you have any questions, comments or information please let me know before leaving feedback and I will work hard to make sure you are satisfied!
-We reserve the right to end all auctions at any time!
-All items shipped outside of Canada and U.S. (with some minor exceptions) MUST be insured and tracked to avoid theft and loss! This protects both the buyer and seller and ensures the safety of the item.
------------------
Shipping
------------------
-We work hard to find the most affordable and safe rate for you! Please wait until AFTER I have sent you an invoice before paying for your item, especially for bidders outside of Canada and U.S. as shipping rates vary widely.
Thank you and happy bidding!! :)
