Wwi Imperial Munitions Board Woman Worker Badge

WWI Imperial Munitions Board Woman Worker Badge - Bronze, numbered "9945" and maker marked "ELLIS BROS. TORONTO DES. REG'D." on the reverse, illustrating an upward pointing bomb, with a series of ribbon banners below inscribed "IMPERIAL MUNITIONSBOARD", "WOMAN", "WORKER" and "CANADA", topped by the George V Crown, very crisp detail, 30.2 mm x 37.8 mm, horizontal pinback, drilled holes at either ends of the "CANADA" ribbon banner, extremely fine. Footnote: An estimated 30,000 women worked in Imperial Munitions Board factories manufacturing shells or other war supplies. It was dangerous work. Workers whose skin had turned yellow from handling high explosives were nicknamed canaries.