In October 1915 Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby (1865–1948), was appointed Director General of Recruiting with the main aim of getting all men aged 18 to 41 to enlist in Kitchener's New Armies. Men who were not exempt from military service were expected to come forward and enlist for military service and in so doing so were issued with this Khaki Armlet which they would wear on their civilian clothes to show they had enlisted.
The French caption refers, adopting a rather different humorous tone, to a military godmother (“marraine”).