The Home Service Force Association

Memorabilia offers a good way of promoting an organisation and also making a little money for the kitty. In veterans’ associations it is often the case that one member takes on this responsibility, voluntarily, because of the informality and flexibility that such an arrangement brings. This tends to suit members and encourages communication and mutual support.

In The British Army, such business is often the responsibility of the President of the Regimental Institute, or PRI, and so items sold in this way, for internal use have become known as PRI stock.

Our memorabilia, or PRI, Officer is Claude Ingham, who lives in Leicester and is not on-line.

Claude has been doing this job, “off his own bat”,  since the HSFA was formed, initially combining it with that of Secretary. He has his own contacts and his own suppliers, many of whom operate in the Leicester area, having firm contacts with less expensive manufacturers abroad.

The HSF Association owns the HSF Crest, (it is not a Cap Badge) having had it accepted by the appropriate military body, but Claude owns the digitised HSF Crest/Logo on a disc.  Without that disc, an embroidering company would have to start again and charge a lot for a replacement.  We look after Claude.

The embroidered logo can be mechanically sewn onto, more or less, any material and to any size .  The material can be of any colour. Your options are:

• Order a specified garment with an HSF Crest already sewn on & sized to your requirements.
• Order a specified garment with an HSF Crest already sewn on & sized to your requirements, and with your HSF Battery, Squadron or Company title added.
• Send in a garment of your choice and have an HSF Crest sewn on & sized to your requirements
• Send in a garment of your choice and have an HSF Crest sewn on & sized to your requirements and your subunit title added.

You can also have the HSF Crest sewn onto a bag, cushion or hat. Why not have your Regimental or Battalion tie embroidered with the HSF Crest. Then you’d never be criticised for wearing the wrong tie !!

There is large demand for lapel badges and pie pins featuring the HSF Crest on a green logo. Now out of stock, Claude is trying to re-establish the lines of communication he used for this item. If you order a lot of stock and then don’t take it off the suppliers hands,  you cannot expect him to do business with you again. Unfortunately, Claude has been left problems caused by other people.

We are considering having Mugs, Mouse Mats, pens and stickers again, but such items have to be bought in large numbers to attract the right prices, so Units need to consider bulk purchases.

Ideas for memorabilia Items.

A group of Units can make a bulk purchase, and then sell items on to their members, or as presentation items to those who helped the Battery, Squadron or Company, such as Senior Officers, Warrant Officers, Senior NCOs and other friends. Current Units will also have friends, such as venue hosts, RHQ and Museum staff, family members and charity partners who would appreciate a keepsake from your Unit.

If you would like to take advantage of this service, contact us giving your own contact details and we will pass the details to Claude who will call you, at your convenience and give you instructions.

Claude does not hold much stock of embroidered garments at the moment because we have deliberately reduced stocks. He has about half a dozen T-shirts in Medium and Small.

Claude will therefore only accept CASH/CHEQUE-WITH-ORDER.

You can provide your own garment if you wish, but you need to bear the costs of sending it to Claude.

Claude also has contacts for the production of items such as mouse mats, mugs, car stickers and tax disc holders. Get in touch and find out what he can do for you. Order now for Christmas!

GO TO THE FEEDBACK PAGE (on the menu above) AND SEND US A MESSAGE,  A QUESTION, A SUGGESTION OR AN INTENTION TO ORDER (so we can alert other Units who may wish to order as well, thereby reducing the cost to you).

If you are already in touch, do it by email or phone. Some of you will already have Claude’s contact details, which we cannot publish here,for obvious reasons.

SADLY, WE CANNOT QUOTE PRICES HERE.

PRICES WILL DIFFER WITH EACH BULK ORDER AND DEPEND UPON THE SIZE OF THAT ORDER. CLAUDE CIRCULATED A PRICE LIST SOME YEARS AGO, BUT UNDERSTANDABLY, THE PRICES WILL HAVE RISEN. WE REPEAT, MOST ITEMS ARE NOT IN STOCK AND MUST BE REORDERED.  

Once we can see HSF Assn memorabilia appearing on E-Bay, then we’ll know we’ve arrived !!