Wiltshire Regiment Anodised Cap Badge - AEA
 

Hi

I picked up this badge recently. Although it is featured in Chris Marsh's book as AAZ07, the badge I have differs to the one illustrated.
It has the metal hair pin slider as used by GROVE on other early Anodised badges. However, it has these distinctive "swept back" features to the scroll. It has definitely been manufactured this way and the scroll has not been bent back, although crease lines can be seen.

Has anyone else seen this before? As Wilts Regt ceased c.1959, when and by whom would this badge have been worn?

Thanks
Andy

Very nice example of the "aea" badge. Nothing wrong with it..
Its the other versions of this badge that id class as dubious.

Whilst the Regulars stopped wearing their badges in 1959 many TA and Cadets carried on wearing the old badges for some years and in several case decades.

Hi Alan & Mike H,

Thanks for the responses. The reason I ask for a time frame for this badge, is because it was succeeded by the PP cipher, according to Chris Marsh circa mid 1960's. I would assume it is this PP cipher badge that the TA & Cadets wore?

Dont forget this was the badge that the 1st anodised Wiltshire badge. The 2nd carries the cypher of the Duke of Edinburgh to reflect the change in the title of the regiment.
The sealing date for the 2nd pattern is 1964. Which would suggest TA.
However the example shown is the earlier pattern. K&K 676.
It would have been worn up till 1954ish maybe a bit later.

It would have been worn by TA and cadets after 1959 until the 2nd pattern was made so into the 1960s.

The sealing date for the gilding metal DofE cypher badge 5th June 1956.

Nice badge Andy,

One that I've never been able to find.

Regards,

Chris

Andy,
the 'swept back scroll' is where the wearer has shaped the badge, probably for a tighter fit on a beret. Frequent practice, often found on British Army cap badges over many years. The cracking of the anodised crust betrays this. My version is unmarked and would appear unissued and is flat, being straight as manufactured.

As the chaps state above, this badge is fairly scarce and other manufactured examples of this version are somewhat suspect.

A nice find Andy and whilst it is always desirable to find the best unmarked examples of anodised aluminium badges, the apparent wear and tear I believe sometimes give one added confidence of authenticity.

Best wishes of the season guys.

Bess

Andy I agree with Bess re scroll I have both examples I.e the good and bad(collecting to the Wilts 45 years now) I have a letter from a Major who was in the 2nd battalion at amalgamation later D E RR who says that the Wiltshire Depot staff assisted Daunty school ,out of the 8 OTC/CCF units to the Wiltshire I have on file only Marlborough had their own cap badge the others had the Wilts badge
David
.
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Thanks everyone for the information.

Have a great Christmas & New Year.

Andy