Collecting navy militaria

There are a number of different collectable routes to follow if you’re interested acquiring some pieces of history. Firstly, there are artefacts associated with the ships themselves, which can be anything from fixtures and fittings, to pieces of equipment, signs and ordnance for the guns. Then there are the tools that the crew used, such as binoculars, signal lamps and maps. Finally, there are items concerning the crew themselves, such as uniforms, insignia and medals.

In order to build a coherent collection, it’s usually a good idea to have a focus.

This can be as wide as a particular conflict, such as the navies of WWI, of WWII or smaller wars like the Falklands Conflict. Alternatively, specialise in a particular navy, such as the Royal Navy, the Kriegsmarine, and then perhaps focus it to a specific era, or leave it wider to give yourself more collecting opportunities.

So what kind of thing can you collect? Let’s head over to which is a typical dealer, specialising in Royal Navy collectables. So, for WWI, here’s what we found at the time of writing, bearing in mind that while these items will get sold, the stock will be replaced by other, similar items. Firstly, a British 116th Infantry Brigade shoulder flash badge. This is from a Royal Marines unit, stationed onboard. The asking price was just £20. On the same theme, here’s a Royal

Marines Light Infantry cap badge, made from brass with original lugs for £25. Maps are highly collectable, and this next one has a lot of history in it. It’s a Gallipoli campaign map of Suvla Bay, measuring 60cm x 79cm, The map is important because it shows the battle sector for the Anzac landings at Suvla Bay. Consequently the asking price is £1,200.

Uniforms, and elements of them, are great for the centerpiece of any collection and Grenadier has a WWI Royal Navy officer’s peaked cap and belt. The cap complete with black leather peak and chin strap, with an officer’s bullion badge depicting a silver fouled anchor surrounded by gold laurel leaves. The belt features an attractive buckle with original gilt finish and the George V crown. Asking price for this is £350.

Lastly on the crew member side there are medals. This is an entire field in itself, with a range of decorations for actions available as well as general service medals, such as a WWI British War Medal 19141918, attributed to W. Elite of the RNAS. Comes with the original box and costs

£45. Be aware that WWI medals have been increasing in price since the 100th anniversary of the end of the war.

So, for items from the ships themselves, let's sail over to Trinity Marine and find a gun tampion (it’s a muzzle plug for the guns) for HMS Obdurate from 1942 for £400; a pair of Royal Navy convoy running lights (red and blue) for £385; and if you want a real piece of history you can have a porthole for £660 or an actual bulkhead door, both from HMS Hermes, with prices ranging from £750-£1,200!

That’s just the Royal Navy, the Kriegsmarine of WWII is highly collectable with an large range of war badges to look out for, as well as uniforms and equipment. German items tend to be more expensive, Japanese items are rarer, and there are lots of American WWII collectables to find as well. If you’re interested in collecting navy militaria, also pick up a copy of our sister magazine, The Armourer.■