Falkland Islands Badge Achieves Record Price

Falkland Islands Badge Achieves Record Price

Falkland Islands Volunteer Corps silver award badge awarded to Charles Fisher Thompson. Sold for a record auction price of £1,364

The Falkland Islands Volunteer Corps was established in 1892 due to potential threat from the Chilean ship Maipo. Carrying around 200 members of the Chilean Army during the Chilean Civil War, and although peaceful and docked for repair, concern created by the incident led to the creation of a small local force of 37 to help protect the islands. 

With the onset of the First World War in July 1914 and Britain's entry in August of that year, the group was mobilised for service carrying out sentry duties on the islands. The sentries’ watchfulness proved vital on the lead up to and during the Battle of the Falkland Islands on the 8th December 1914, when the German East Asia Squadron commanded by Maximilian Von Spee was spotted and the Volunteer Corps’ observation points on positions like Sapper Hill provided valuable information on the movements of the German Fleet.

The battle ended in a decisive victory for the Royal Navy, with 6 of the 8 German ships lost including Von Spee's flagship the SMS Scharnhorst.

In 1926 around 160 silver badges were created for members of the Volunteer Corps who saw service in the Great War, and one of those was Charles Fisher Thompson who had  moved to the Islands at the turn of the century to work on the church in Port Stanley but ended up settling on the island, started a family and joining the Volunteer Corps. During the battle, according to family history, Charles was at one of the observation posts helping to direct fire and communicate movements.

The victory is still celebrated as a public holiday on the Falkland Islands and today's Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF) continue to help ensure the security of the islands.