Admiralty Ships’ Badges, Original Patterns, 1919-1994 was published by TP Stopford in 1996. At the time, it was the only publication to detail in colour almost every Royal Naval ship’s badge approved by the Admiralty since 1919. The books fast became the de facto reference work for the Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence.
Now, twelve years later, the content has been updated comprehensively, including the addition of 120 Fleet Air Arm squadron badges, and making the work available on an interactive CD-ROM encyclopaedia.
The Author
TP Stopford was born into an old naval family in 1935. It was after boarding school in 1954 that his attempt at mathematics failed to impress Their Lordships. Consequently he joined the Royal Marine Forces Volunteer Reserve (UK).
Thirty years as a Sea Cadets Corps officer led to visits to dockyards and naval establishments. There the pattern making of ships’ badges took hold. His last full-time post was as a merchant navy school instructor based in Gravesend, Kent.
On the arrival of HMS CAVALIER at Chatham Historic Dockyard in 1999, he became involved in the restoration of the ship together with a remarkable amalgam of skilled volunteers ranging from time-served dockyard employees, members of the original Ship’s Company and other diverse craftsmen, who aim to restore the ship to her status in 1972, when last in service. last in service.
