Gurkha Cap Badges

[Cleeman]

Hi all,

I am now looking at including Gurkha Cap Badges as part of my collection. Does anyone recommend any books on Gurkha badges or any other reference material.

I have learnt from collecting British cap badges, that copies, re-strikes and outright fakes exist in abundance. I suspect they do with Gurkha badges as well.

Therefore any help and guidance would be gratefully received.

Andy

[gurkharifles]

Hi Andy,

Your right about the abundance of Gurkha copies badges - From time to time I do my own survey of Gurkha badges being offered on e bay and just from the photos you can see that 90% are fake - some regiments achieve a depressing 100%! At the time of writing the following are being offered:
5 x 1st Gurkha Rifles ( all fake ) 12 x 3rd Gurkhas ( all fake ) 10 x 4th Gurkhas ( all fake ) 18 x 8th Gurkha ( one genuine - the one that's listed for £110! ) 11 x 5th Gurkhas ( all fake ),17 x 9th Gurkhas (one genuine ) 3 x 6th Gurkhas ( one genuine ) - it's more difficult to tell just from a photo but there are 12 x 2nd Gurkha badges and I'm pretty sure more than half will be genuine and similarly for the 7th at least half are probably genuine. So be very careful what you buy and where you buy them from. In terms of books , I can recommend the booklets on the Regiments insignia produced by the Gurkha Museum - they are the most comprehensive books on the subject available although several of the Regiments are not out of print some are still available through the Musuem's shop. Cheers Tim

[Piffer]

Originally Posted by Cleeman

Hi all,

I am now looking at including Gurkha Cap Badges as part of my collection. Does anyone recommend any books on Gurkha badges or any other reference material.

I have learnt from collecting British cap badges, that copies, re-strikes and outright fakes exist in abundance. I suspect they do with Gurkha badges as well.

Therefore any help and guidance would be gratefully received.

Andy

Sowars and Sepoys in the Great War ( by Ashok Nath) , a limited edition book (300 copies only but available on e bay at times) has excellent life size colour photographs of all Gurkha cap badges, officers cross belt plates, pouch badges, shoulder titles and buttons worn during the period 1903-1922. Also covered are their battle honours and summary of services of each Gurkha regiment during the Great War. Also includes the war raised 11th Gurkha Rifles and their badges some of its badges unknown previously are also coveredfor the first time.

[peter monahan]

I agree that Ashok Nath's bookm is a superb resource, and I was lucky enough to get one of the copies. OTOH, it is a pricey investment too and covers a far earlier period than 80%+ of the badges for sale, which are or purport to be WWII and later. If you want to get into early Gurkha badges it's a muct, but then you'll be lookin g at badges in the L100+ range, which is a bit off putting when one is beginning.

I believe the advice on the booklets from the Museum is your best bet.

[Cleeman]

Thank you all very much for the advice, it is very good of you to respond.

I have taken on board some of the advice and purchased from the Gurkha Museum, their insignia booklets of the 2nd, 4th, 5th & 8th Gurkha Rifles.

I am aware a number of the Regiments are out of stock now and unavailable, so does anyone have copies of the missing ones they are prepared to sell to me or know of any more elsewhere that may be available.

As I get in to the Gurkha badges more, then I think I will also try to acquire a copy of Sowars and Sepoys in the Great War ( by Ashok Nath). I have tried a quick Google search for this and cannot find a copy for sale. Again, if anyone has a spare copy or knows where there is one, please contact me.
Kind Regards
Andy

[Piffer]

The book is not available in bookshops or Amazon or any other outlet, it is available directly from the author who sometimes lists them on e bay, otherwise you can get a copy directly by e mailing: nathfoundations@gmail.com