*British, WWII era, Royal Navy, HMS Hermes Sweetheart Brooch, Enamel & White Metal*
A WWII-era Royal Navy sweetheart brooch for HMS Hermes. The brooch is cast in white metal and mounted to a horizontal bar fitting, measuring 5.2cm x 2.6cm. At its centre is the ship’s badge: the helmeted head of Hermes, the Greek god of travel and communication, set over a staff, on a dark blue enamel ground within a diamond-shaped rope border, surmounted by the Naval Crown. Beneath is a scroll with the ship’s name, “H.M.S. HERMES,” in blue enamel.
Historical Note:
HMS Hermes was a notable vessel in Royal Navy history. The first Hermes (commissioned 1924) was the world’s first purpose-built aircraft carrier, serving in the interwar years before being sunk by Japanese aircraft off Ceylon in April 1942. Her loss, with the heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall, marked a significant moment in the early Indian Ocean campaign. The name was carried on by the 1950s Centaur-class aircraft carrier, later famous as the flagship of the Royal Navy Task Force during the 1982 Falklands War.
Sweetheart brooches were worn by wives, fiancées and loved ones of servicemen as tokens of affection and pride, and remain highly collectible mementoes of Royal Navy service during the Second World War. Sweetheart brooches bearing the name Hermes therefore carry a strong resonance, connected with both pioneering naval aviation and two key moments of British naval history.
*Condition*
The brooch remains in good condition overall. There is light age-related wear to the metal. The pin and clasp are intact and functional. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
