*British, HMS Chevron – Cast Bronze-Alloy Royal Navy Ship’s Screen Crest, Hand-Painted*
A substantial and original Royal Navy ship’s screen badge for HMS Chevron, cast in heavy bronze/alloy and retaining much of its historic hand-applied paintwork. The crest follows the Admiralty-pattern oval design, measuring approximately 22.5 cm tall, 17 cm across and around 1.5 cm deep, with a pronounced rope-twist border and a crown-shaped top mount. The central device depicts Chevron’s authorised emblem: a stylised flaming torch surmounted by a bold chevron, all raised in relief on a textured naval blue ground. The name tablet CHEVRON appears within a red backed rectangular frame. The reverse is unpainted and shows the classic rough-cast finish with original mounting holes. At 2.4 kg, this is a solid example intended for internal display aboard the ship, typically mounted on a bulkhead or within the wardroom or captain’s office.
Historical Note: HMS Chevron (R51, later D51) was a C-class destroyer launched in 1944 and commissioned too late for wartime operations, but she went on to serve extensively across the Mediterranean, Far East and Persian Gulf during the turbulent post-war decades. Her duties included Cold War patrols, evacuation support, the 1946 Palestine Patrol rescue of survivors from the wrecked Athina Rafiah, and in 1952 the recovery of fourteen crew from a ditched U.S. Navy Mercator reconnaissance aircraft east of Cyprus. She remained active during the Suez Crisis period and continued Royal Navy deployments into the mid-1950s before paying off and being scrapped in 1967. Chevron belonged to the “Ch” flotilla, her badge symbolising steadfast direction and purposeful movement with its chevron and flaming torch. Admiralty-pattern screen badges were produced in limited numbers for each vessel, and surviving examples have become prized artefacts of mid-century Royal Navy service.
*Condition* The badge displays honest, stable age patina with wear to paint consistent with long service and later storage. Traces of the original blue, red, green, white and gilt finishes remain visible across the crest and border. No structural cracks or repairs are visible; the rear face shows expected oxidation from decades of exposure. Mounting holes remain intact. A well-preserved, characterful piece of naval history. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
