Hampshire Yeomanry

[anodised72]

Good or bad one?

anodised
blank slider
King's crown

[Alan O]

Very, very suspect. I saw that because that is the 6th one I have seen in 12 months. A k/c badge is very rare anyway, an early a/a Yeomanry one is virtually unheard of (exception is Sussex yeo). The fact that they have all been mint condition, unmarked sliders and die struck makes me very suspicious. In fact all the a/a badges I have like this are for 'rare' early 50s designs are in mint condition and turning up a little too often for myliking.

Alan

[Sonofacqms]

They have even got the small indentation at the top of the slider, this normally appears on earlier badges, very suspicious!

I take the points raised about possible re-striking of a badge such as this. However, never rule out the possibility that a batch of these (and other rarer) anodised badges may simply appear through MoD dispersal sources. I know many an army surplus dealer who has bought ammunition boxes only to find one or more of them packed with badges, shoulder titles or divisional signs, often unissued, often rarities. Let us not go down the route of everything being bad unless proven good - surely the expertise we develop over the years allows us to judge each item on its own merits. Looking at this particular badge, the quality seems very high - but what do I know ?? Regards. David

[Luke H]

I agree with Alan and Sono,

I'm suspect about any apparently die struck AA badge. Is it quite light in the hand but deceptively hard to bend considering its weight?

Luke

[bess55]

Gents for what its worth, I'm with the doubters on this one. Agree with comments about rare finds etc, however I'm afraid 'Anodised72' its a 'wrong un'. I know, cos I've got one too!

[Alan O]

As mentioned in an earlier post it has the same style and construction, appears in the same perfect condition and frequency of occurence as the rather dubious (never worn by the Regt) 3rd Hussars badge. (available at £6.50 from a well known restrike dealer).

Alan

[Mike H]

Very suspect,die struck similar to a lot of the other suspected fakes.Sorry.

I am beginning to wonder if there is more trade done in restrike badges than there is in original badges. I also wonder at the number of forum members who seem content with a restrike example of a particular badge rather than holding out for an original example. Is this because there is an insatiable desire to have full badge collection frames - irrespective of the pedigree of the individual items - as though time is running out and there is a race for that 'complete collection" ? Just for the record, I would rather have ten original items - to handle, to contemplate the original wearer, to place in the concept of time - than a thousand freshly pressed pieces of base metal with no story to tell. Please don't compromise on something which is - if you think about it - part of our heritage and culture and for which no substitute is - or should be - acceptable. Here endeth the lesson !!!!!!!! Regards. David

[William]

Originally Posted by anodised72

Good or bad one?

anodised
blank slider
King's crown

Sorry to info that the illustrated badge at the top of this thread is probably not what it seems.

I have exactly the same badge in my collection; got it abt 10 yrs ago from a 'trustworthy' dealer, regarded in those days as a virtually impeccable source.

The badge is most likely pressed steel, not Agonized Ally. Therefore, v unlikely to be genuine.

[GriffMJ]

The slider is puzzling? Why would it have a "crimp" in it if it was A/A..... the shape of the slider "copies" the old type? Also the rim edge of the strap on the outer of the "YEO" in yeomanry looks deformed....... this stands out for two reasons..... the badge does not appear to have been worn..... and if this was a "mint" press..... then surley it would be a perfect edge?

"Anodised" in K&K in the 50's period does appear to have a couple of different meanings? However, in this case its a bit suspect IMO.......Especially with a GRVI crown.

[Keith Blakeman]

Many, if not all of the bimetal (as opposed to A/A) versions of this badge I've seen have the Gaunt London or B'Ham (can't remember which) large font stamp on the shank.

[badjez]

I cannot comment on this badge, other than to say I saw similar some 6 years ago at Beltring (for £50!) and that some early 1950's ano badges were of doubtful manufacture i.e. the brass sliders coming off early ano badges when subjected to excess human sweat in the humid Far East. Take a look at mint plastic badges and see the defects in manufacture of that early material and consider the problems encountered with new manufacturing processes.

Not all KC ano are suspect. The KC 'Sussex Yeomanry' is far more common than the QC. I was told that to get bulk purchasing value more KC were ordered than a RA Battery could use within a couple of years. This practice was certainly authorised for cloth insignia specific to small TA units. Upon the passing of HM King GviR the battery had sufficient to last for years and retained them, only accepting a QC when stocks ran low. I've never checked the WO32 files to see if any survive on this unit's dress.

Stocks of oboslete AA badges do survive. The Beds & Herts ACF Corps of Drums have just adopted the old ano B&H Regt TA badge (K&K 2385) and collars from the previous 3rd East Anglian Regt. I was told they have not needed to get the badges reproduced to satisfy their demand.
WO32/20561 records that in 1966 the KOSB had in stock 5390 GM collar badges (CB3327)- the last order for this having been placed in 1955! This was equivalant to 35 years worth of issues.

Stephen.

[hagwalther]

Hi Guys,

Sorry to be so late in this but the truth is I'm a bit selfish re: the forum and while I do add posts for comment I seldom have time to find specific A/A threads. However, I am always open to PM or preferably email on any questions especially for expensive badges if one is thinking of acquiring - send me some images and I will give an opinion.

These KC Hampshire badges are dud. Pure and simple. I was given one from a prominent A/A collector and it makes up part of my Fakes and Reproductions chapter.

Why:

a) not made of aluminium
b) no evidence of the Hampshire Carabineers being authorised to wear such an A/A badge
c) evidence exists that the Hampshire Carabineers actually wore the Royal Artillery badge

If I remember this badge on the rear has a small triangle as a die flaw in one of the rifle butts. I have tried to find a similar example of a badge with the same flaw made of different metal but no joy. If readers can help do let me know.

Genuine A/A KC badges are quite rare but as pointed out the Sussex Yeomanry is more common than the QC version. I only have three KC badges one of which I aquired from eBay and arrived yesterday.

It is the A/A Highland Light Infantry as I was fortunate to acquire one made either by Firmin or Smith&Wright who shared the same lugs. These genuine badges are as rare as rocking horse poo although fakes abound.

However, what is even rarer is the QC version. This was never authorised for issue although I picked up one of the rare prototypes made by Gaunt from eBay last week from the same seller. Only between 6-15 would have been made for Colonels inspection and if OK'ed would then be anodised and colour dyed ready for the sealed pattern card.

This never occurred for the A/A QC HLI badge and my example has neither been anodised nor coloured. It is a very substantial badge indeed made by Gaunt of thick aluminium sheet. It is beautifully vaulted and of a semi-flat back design. If this ever got to production it would have been the premier A/A badge. Detail is superb.

When I get a mo I will post both badges on the forum but this may not be until next week.

In the mean time beware of badges like this made of thin tin sheet as there are others around. However, also be aware that genuine thin A/A badges were made by Timings in the early days of A/A production but even they are thicker than the example shown. The KC St Andrews University is one such example and should be available for around 10-20 quid as it is quite common and I believe still used as a collar badge somewhere so they mush have made a lot of them.

Regards

Chris

[LONGSHANKS]

Hi everyone
I've started to read many of these threads increasing my limited knowledge of this thing we do and found it very interesting. I myself stick to pre 45 and not really into staybrite stuff, unless there are some some pre 45. But wanted to ask the eminent experts here and the comments on scarcity of this badge in staybrite, what's the comment on this one, brass I think.

I agree also with David in his earlier note that we collect "origionals" and should stay clear of re-strikes to fill the frames as they should and do represent a history of empire building I am very proud of as a Brit living in the US amongst these colonials.

Thanks
Simon.