About this piece
back to topA good-quality early 20th century bronze Royal Navy boat badge for the HMS Whirlwind, from the collection of the late John Ritchie (1944-2025).
In the 20th century, there were two HMS Whirlwind ships: the D30 and the R87. While it is unclear which ship this badge came from, both ships have an interesting naval history. We are attributing it to the earlier boat.
The shield-shaped badge displays a human head blowing air from their mouth in a personification of wind as pictured, this one marked ‘Whirlwind’ to the reverse. A similar example can be found in the Royal Museums, Greenwich which notes the pattern was approved in November 1920.
The HMS Whirlwind (D30) was a W-class destroyer launched in December 1917. Serving in both WWI and WWII, the ship was sunk in July 1940 by German submarine U-34.
The second HMS Whirlwind (R87) was one of eight W-class destroyers commissioned in 1941. It was launched in 1943 and served in both World War II and the Cold War before being placed on the disposal list in 1966 and foundered in Cardigan Bay in 1974 while in use as a target.
‘Whirlwind’ is just one of a selection of ship badges we have acquired from John Ritchie’s collection which will make interesting pieces for the modern collector of British naval history.
The John Ritchie Collection
John Ritchie was an eminent figure in the world of maritime antiques for over 40 years. In his lifetime, he served in the Merchant Navy and travelled the globe, developing a passion for maritime collecting and history. In later years, he became proprietor of Books Afloat in Weymouth, a second-hand bookshop dedicated to all things nautical.