Officers' Pips

[Brewins girl]

These two Officers' 'Pips' (I think that's what they are) were with a collection of cap badges etc that I think my aunt collected during WW2. I know that it was common for the troops to give their cap badges away to their sweethearts (I read a letter to that effect in The National Archives and, I think, on Hansard). I understand that the enamelled one would have been for dress, whilst the other non-reflective one would have been used in combat.

My questions are:
Were these indeed Officers' Pips, and were they confined to the Army, or used by other services?
Were they the same regardless of regiment?
Were there different ones for different ranks (& can these tell me anything about rank or regiment?)?
Would it have been likely that an officer would part with his Pips to a civilian girl?

[MaxD]

Most army regiments had this pattern of pips.  They are also worn by officers of the Royal Marines. Picture explains:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Army_officer_rank_insignia

There were/are, as is normal for the British Army, an infinite number of variations, best explained by fellow Rootschatter Frogsmile here:
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/97378-officers-pips-ww1-or-ww2/

Of all the things an officer might give a civilian girl, a spare pip or two would be among the least harmful! 

MaxD

[MaecW]

Yes, these are the standard "pips", and they were/are used by both the Army and the Royal Marines.
The design represents the star of the Order of the Bath.
You are right about the uses of the two kinds.
They're used by the majority of Regiments and Corps (with one or two exceptions) so you cannot tell what unit the wearer belonged to.
The number of pips indicate the rank (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Army_officer_rank_insignia) and are used all the way up to General.
As for why a civilian girl might have them - anybody's guess but it might be as simple as her sewing on new badges for him when he was promoted ! 

Hope this helps,
Maec

PS I see Max has beaten me to it, but I'll let my answer stand

[Brewins girl]

I cant imagine what you could possibly mean MaxD!

[Brewins girl]

Thank you both for your helpful reply. That's an interesting slant on why a girl might be given the pips - my aunt was clearly very flirtatious (photos prove my view) so I have a feeling she may just have charmed her way to getting them!

[Brewins girl]

Regarding these officers' pips, would an enlisted soldier in REME reaching the rank of L/Cpl (Lanmce Corporal) have worn these pips? My uncle did talk about his sergeant threatening to remove his pips.

[MaxD]

A Lance Corporal wore one stripe on his sleeve, nary a pip to be seen! (Although his sergeant may have been referring to something else of a similar shape entirely).

MaxD

[Brewins girl]

I'm sort of reassured - it lends more credence to the idea that many of the cap badges she collected were 'trophies' although I'm mystified why there's nothing of my uncle's in the collection.Maybe she considered he was trophy enough!

[MaecW]

I wish there was a "like" button in these forums. Both the last two postings deserve one !