R.N. R.M. and Army

Would You Like Your Ships Crest Or Military Badge Engraved on Glass Or Crystal?

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Remember If It Can Be Photographed Or Drawn The Chances Are It Can Be Engraved.

The Royal Navy , Royal Marines and Army

The badge of The Royal Navy

Having served in Her Majesty's Royal Marines I have a tendency to be a little bias toward The Royal Navy after all The Royal Marines are in fact a Command of The Royal Navy.

There are many facets to The Royal Navy and all have great pride, and rightly so, in their core values, their emergence, their traditions and their ability to get things done. The Senior Service consists of not only The Royal Navy and Royal Marines but the Royal Marines Band Service, the Fleet Air Arm, the Submarine Service, Royal Fleet auxiliary, Queen Alexandria’s Royal Naval Nursing Service, the Naval Careers Service and the Woman’s Royal Naval Service though the latter was disbanded in 1993 when women were allowed to join the Navy. All are commanded by The First Sea Lord who, at the time of writing this page, is Admiral Tony Radakin who was appointed in June 2019.

Whether for the table centre piece in the mess, a cabinet trophy, or even the drinking glasses used at the Trafalgar dinner, a Crystal Glass for the toast to the Queen will set off your presentation perfectly.

The following ship and unit crests are an introduction into what is available.  Engraving can be for a retirement gift, a drafting gift or even just something for yourself as a personal memento from your days on board a ship, boat, unit or stone frigate. An Engraved Crystal Decanter, Ships Decanter, flat crystal plaque or even a drinking vessel can be a highly cherished gift you will treasure for the rest of your days.

Where to start?

A globe with laurel leaves at both sides. Below is an ancor with a rope and below this is a ribbon with the Royal Marines moto Per Mare Per Terram. Above the globe is another ribbon with Gibraltar on it and above this is a crown with a lion on top. At each side there are two commando daggers. This completed artwork of the Badge of The Royal Marines plus commando daggers.

Oh Yes!

Since I was one, why not start with

The Royal Marines

The Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot as they were first known was founded on a Tuesday. Why a Tuesday I hear you ask? Well God only knows. They were formed to fight the Anglo Dutch war of 1664. On Tuesday 28th of October 1664 a force of 1200 men was recruited from the Trained Bands in London. The Duke of York and Albany was at this time Lord High Admiral and brother of the then King, Charles ll. He was also Captain-General of the Company of the Artillery Garden, now the Honourable Artillery Company who instructed them. The Trained Bands were London's militia who were everyday men with an obligation to arm and protect the city.

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The Royal Marines at present consist of; 1 Assault Group, 3 Command Brigade, the Royal Marines Band and the Special Boat Service. Unit Crests for all of these and their lower echelons are available for engraving.

The Royal Navy

A Very Brief History

There are many notions on the formation of the Navy but the very first indications of a navy or a fleet was during the reign of King Alfred. He fought a battle at sea against the Danes in the year 882 at the Stour estuary. Throughout the following centuries maritime laws were made and skirmishes occurred such as for the battle of Sluys in 1340. These were mostly conducted with merchant vessels commandeered by the king. In 1391 the Earl of Rutland became the first Lord High Admiral and in 1415 Henry Vl sent a 1500 ship and boat invasion force across the channel which fought at Agincourt. It was the Tudor Kings who were first to start to building ships for war with Henry Vll building the first dry dock in Portsmouth. Henry the Vlll inherited 7 ships from his father and built a further 17 in the early part of his reign. He became known as the father of the English Navy for his achievements. It was Henry Vlll who formed the Admiralty board.

Artists impression of the crest of The Mary Rose. A round ships crest with a naval crown on top. the crest comprises of a rope border with a box on top with the words Mary Rose inside. Inside of the rope is a laurel leaf wreath inside of which is a flour de leaf with a Tudor rose on top half black and half white.

The Mary Rose

The Mary Rose was a Carrick-type war ship built by King Henry Vlll. She was in service for an impressive 34 years. Contrary to the belief that she sank on her maiden voyage she fought in three French wars till sinking on the 19 July 1545 in the Solent. There are a few different theories as to why she sank but nothing proven. Perhaps the most famous of all the Tudor ships The Mary Rose was raised from the sea bed of the Solent on the 11th of October 1982 and her remains are now housed in her own purpose built museum in Portsmouth Dockyard. 

Ships Details: 

 Construction Started: 1510,

Launched: July 1511,

Weight: 600 tons,

Place Built: Portsmouth,

Propulsion: Sail, 

 Hull Material: Wood (English Oak)

HMS Victory

Also in dry dock in Portsmouth Dockyard is the Flag Ship of the first Sea Lord and of Lord Nelson HMS Victory.  The ship is a 104 Gun First Rate Ship of the Line. Built in Chatham, it was laid down on the 23 July 1758 and launched 7Th May 1765. The Victory is the pride of the Royal Navy and is open to the public. It is not certain if this Ships crest is the actual crest for The HMS Victory or the barracks which was renamed HMS Nelson. If you know better then please feel free to drop me an email williesmall@aol.com.		 Completed artwork for ships crest of HMS Victory is a diamond shaped ships crest surrounded by a rope border with a box with the name Victory on top. Above this is a naval crown. Inside the rope is a ships anchor with a rope, a star and a crescent opening upward.

 

An artwork representation of the crest for HMS Queen Elizabeth is a round crest. The outer is made up of a rope with a box on top containing the words Queen Elizabeth. Above this is a naval crown. Inside the rope border is a Tudor Rose half whit half black, a crown a royal crown above and the letters E to the left and R to the right.   

HMS Queen Elizabeth

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first ship of her class. This aircraft carrier was built in parts throughout the UK and finally assembled in Rosyth Dockyard in Fife. She was launched on the 17 July 2014 and is due to be commissioned in 2015. As an aircraft carrier she has none of the catapult or arrestor wiring of old, instead she has been designed to carry VSTOL type aircraft. She is likely to carry F-35B Lightning II fighter bombers and helicopters of the Fleet Air Arm and RAF. There are quarters for up to 250 Royal Marines. The ship although launched on the 17 of July her naming ceremony was on the 4th of July 2014  and instead of smashing the usual bottle of champagne over her bow a bottle of Bowmore whisky was used. Some might think an awful waste, but then I never did like Champagne. Why whisky? I hear you ask. Since the ship was built in the UK and finaly put together at Rosyth, on the Firth of Forth, Scotland, it was decided to use whisky, the 'water of life'. Why Bowmore? Another good question. The Bowmore Distillery, on the island of Islay was the first distillery Her Majesty The Queen ever visited in her official capacity.

HMS Raleigh.

HMS Raleigh is the initial training establishment for the Royal Navy. It is situated near Torpoint Across the river from Devonport Naval Base, Plymouth. HMS Raleigh Provides training for more than the new recruit off the streets but also on-going training like seamanship, submarine training and logistic skills to name but a few. Commissioned on the 9th of January 1940 HMS Raleigh has remained a Royal Navy Training establishment except for a few months in 1944 when it was taken over by the US navy as a staging and embarking post prior to operation Overlord.

 Artwork impression of the ships crest for HMS Raleigh is made up of a diamond shaped rope outer with a box above containing the word Raleigh. Above this is a navy crown. Inside the rope outer is a black background and a white lined globe above a stag head.

 

Artwork image of WRNS crest. This is made up of a round ships crest. The outer ring is a rope with a box on the top and the letters WRNS inside. On top of this is a navy crown. Inside the rope outer is a black background with ships anchor hanging through a naval crown and a bird of the wren species standing proud atop of the anchor ring

The Woman's Royal Naval Service

The Women's Royal Naval Service came into service in 1917 but was disbanded again in 1919 after the First World War. The Second World War saw them reformed in 1939 and remained thus until disbanded fully in 1993 as women were allowed to join the ranks of The Royal Navy. Initially Wrens as they were commonly known were formed to allow shore based sailors to be freed for service at sea during the First World War. They carried out domestic tasks at first but it soon became clear that they were able and willing to do a multitude of tasks such as control and planning of operations and even maintenance. The Woman's Royal Naval Service was and still is a great asset to the Royal Navy, though they are now integrated completely into the Service. 

Further ships crests of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

A Hand engraved example of the crest of HMS Brighton./affiliate_paperclip_assets/original/1678.jpg?1364254615

This is the crest of HMS Arrow. It is made up with an outer ring of rope with a box on top and the name Arrow engraved. The centre of the crest is a black background with crossed arrows pointing down all crowned by a naval crown. HMS Gannet's crest is made up by a circle of rope with a box above containing the word Gannet. The middle of the crest has the sea bird the Gannet on it. Above the box is a ships crown.
The crest of HMS Belfast. This id a diamond shaped rope with a box on top containing the word Belfast. Above this is a navy crown and in the middle is an effegy of a horse's head, shoulders and front legs with a fish tail prancing on top of three sea waves. The crest of HMS Ganges is a diamond shaped rope with an elephant in the middle standing atop three sea waves. Above the Diamond shaped rope is a box with the word Ganges inside. Above this is a naval crown.
This is a diamond shaped crest. It is surrounded by a rope with the trident of the god Neptune in the middle. Above this is a box which contains the word Neptune and sitting on top of this is a naval crown. The badge of the white ensign club is a naval crown with a flagpole flying the Royal Nave White Ensign.
This is a ships crest for HMS Richmond
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British Army

 

British Army

I also have in my portfolio a number of Army badges which are available to be engraved onto a favourite glass or crystal piece. I have set out below a few of these. Please feel free to contact me if your regiment badge is not here. The chances are I will have it but if not I will be able to get it.

 My impression of the badge of the British Army. This is a royal crown with a lion on top and crossed swords behind.


The Royal Logistic Corps artwork is made up of in the middle a shield containing three cannons and three cannon balls above. This is inside a belt circle with the words Honi Sott Qui Mal Y Pense on it. Surrounding this is a laurel wreath and crossed axes. These a on top of a star burst and has a royal crown on top. The badge of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers has a prancing horse standing on one leg on a globe. The horse has a crown around its neck with a chain falling from it down to the globe. Above the horse is a ribbon with the letters REME on it on top of which is a royal crown. Behind all of this is a lightening bolt.
An artist's impression of the Gurkha Regiment. This is two crossed kukri knives with a royal crown above. The Coldstream Guards badge is made up with sunburst behind a round belt with the words Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense inscribed. Inside this is a white background and a cross on top.
The Army Catering Corps. This artist's impression has a black ribbon on the bottom with the words We Sustain inscribed. Above this is a black circle with Army Catering Corps inscribed and inside this is a cooking pot with flames billowing out. above all of this is a Royal crown. The badge of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders made up with a surrounding of thistle leaves and flowers. On top of these is a circle of black withe the words Argyll and Sutherland written. Inside is a intertwined emblem with a boars head on the left and a big cat on the right. Above this is a crown.
The blazer badge of the Black Watch. This artist's impression of the the Grenadier Guards badge is a ball with fire burning from the top.
The badge of the Royal Artillery is a cannon with a ribbon above and below with the words Ubique above and Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt Below all topped by a crown. My impression of the badge of the badge of the Royal Artillery. Please note that all that is black is engraved onto the glass. Royal Corps of Signals is an effigy of the God Mercury on top of a globe and a crown above. The globe has laurel leaves behind and to each side and a ribbon above with the words Certa Cito. This badge of the Royal corps of signals is engraved by etching all of the black areas.
Scots Guards. Prince of Wale's Royal Regiment badge. A detailed badge with the prince of wales feathers above the Welsh Dragon and the Tuder Rose encircled by a black belt and the words "Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense.
The Parachute Regiment badge. A pair of wings with a parachute on top with a crown and lion above. My impression please note that all that is black is engraved onto the glass. My impression of that famous badge, a winged dagger of the Special Air Service with a ribbon below and the words Who Dares Wins. Please note that all that is black is engraved onto the glass.
A world war one tank with surrounding Olive leaf wreath and crown above. My impression of the Tank Regiment's crest. Please note that all that is black is engraved onto the glass. With the cross and St. Andrew in the middle of a sun burst and scales of a diagonal cross in the background the Royal Scots badge is another of the detailed Scottish regimental badges but with all of the black engraved it does look good.

The Royal Airforce.

This is a crystal tankard with the crest od the R.A.F engraved on to it. Below this is the name and number of the serviceman in question. This is an artist's impression of the R.A.F. badge or crest . It has two circles, one smaller than the other and inside. Between these circles is the words Per Ardva Ad Astra. On top of this with wings extended across both sides of the circles is a bird of pray. anove the circles is a royal crown.
   

 

If you would like any further information on the engraving of your ships crest, unit badge or any military badge onto a piece of crystal or glass, please don't hesitate to contact me and I will make every effort to accommodate your request. 

This is a work in progress. I have attempted to make the perusal of my web site as interesting as possible and have checked my facts on various web sites however, if I have made any mistakes in my short articles on these pages please feel free to drop me a line by email to williesmall@aol.com and I will rectify any errors.