OFFICERS AIRBORNE BULLION ROYAL CORPS OF SIGNALS BADGE - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

ASR142 · #1 30-04-17, 09:40 PM

HI GUYS
I found this rare little beast last week thought i would show ye all it Steve

fougasse1940 · #2 30-04-17, 11:09 PM

Does the presence of the globe date it to post War?

Rgds, Thomas.

Alan O · #3 01-05-17, 07:20 AM

Yes it does. That design was introduced in 1947.

A scarlet backing would suggest Essex Yeomanry from post 1947 into the 1950s.

Expat Yeoman · #4 02-05-17, 12:07 AM

I don't think EY, they were gunners at that point in time and the red backed badge was only approved for wear in 1976.

I think Chris Walker has a similar example on his Signals Badge website, I'm sure he'll have more info on this one.

Quicksilver · #5 02-05-17, 04:22 AM

Expat Yeoman is correct. EY became a Signal Sqn in 1969 as 70 EY Signal Sqn in 71 Signal Regiment. I am pleased to get the date 1976 as authorisation of the red backing.

The badge shown is a very nice little badge, and that makes me wonder if it is in fact a collar badge. Also the colour appears to me to be red rather than maroon, the parachute regiment colour. I wonder if the badge could in fact be a Royal Signals Band collar badge. Chris Walker has done a lot of research into the various Signals bands. Perhaps he has one. There have been the R. Signals Corps Band, Royal Signals Northern Band of 34 Signal Regiment, 32 Signal Regiment Pipes and Drums and 40 Ulster Signal Regiment's Pipes and Drums. There again I may be wrong. Possibly the first two would be the ones most likely.
Quicksilver

sapper533 · #6 02-05-17, 07:51 AM

Would it have a crown if it was a collar badge?
Cheers
Sean

Alan O · #7 02-05-17, 08:33 AM

Not usually.

The band wear gilt collars on mess kit jackets and No1 dress.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...AF&FORM=IQFRBA

To my knowledge they have not worn embroidered badges with crowns.

The badge shown appears to be a beret badge and its possible that its a not very well formed Queen's Crown.

Expat Yeoman · #8 02-05-17, 10:30 AM

Quicksilver, the EY badge was approved by Corps Memorandum in 1976 but it took a while for samples to be sourced and then manufactured, so the first time they were worn by the Sqn was towards the end of 1978 as far as I can tell from talking to Sqn members and photos of the time.

Chris Walker · #9 02-05-17, 11:28 AM

Dear Friends.

Delighted to see the Red Backed Bullion Signals Badge that Steve has posted.

Although this is my sphere of collecting I am at a loss I am afraid.

As my friend Expat says the EY badge was not approved until 1976 with a Red backing. This badge does seem to have a Kings Crown which dates it to pre 1954. It also has a Globe and Oak Leaves so in my honest opinion also dates it post 1947.

The nearest badge I show in my little collection with a Bullion style badge and a Petasus (Felt hat worn by travellers) with the same design as near as I can see from Steve's photo it attached below. This badge is of the Pre 1946 version with no Globe or Oak Leaves. As can be seen it was worn on a Caps FS and was a private purchase item.

The backing of this badge for use of a better word shows the same kind of wear as the red backed version of Steve's version.

I do not think it is a Band Collar badge either as there would have been no Crown. Having said that there is a photo in Major A. G. Harfield BEM's book called Headdress, Badges and Embellishments of the Royal Corps of Signals. on page 41 that clearly shows in Photo Figure 52 a pair of unofficial embroidered collar badges with a different configuration of the scroll at the bottom. These collar badges also have a very similar Petasus (Cap) as is in Steve's photo.

Last thought is that it may be a very early Airborne Signals Beret Badge that has faded over the years but I would not like to put my life on it.

A very nice mystery I must say.

Well found Steve.

Kind regards

Chris Walker
Signalsbadges.co.uk

ASR142 · #10 02-05-17, 09:14 PM

Hi Chaps
Thanks for this interest done a few more pics of the badge with a 5p coin and next to a WWII RA beret and badge .
If you look around the edge of the base of the badge and around the edge of the bullion wire can clearly see the original maroon backing material which has worn away from the majority of the badge . It dates from around 1947-1952 no later regards steve

Chris Walker · #11 03-05-17, 11:24 AM

Dear Steve.

Now that you have come up with a few more photos of the Bullion Signals Officers Beret badge I think I am happier to say that it is more than likely an Airborne Signals Officers Maroon Beret badge rather than a red backed badge.

The new photos show a better Maroon colour than the first photo you have shown on this Thread.

I really do not know of a red backed Signals Officer's badge that would have been used at this time.

Yes definitely a post 1947 version of the badge with the Globe and Laurel Leaves.

Now that you have put a 5p coin next to the badge this makes me think even more of a Airborne Signals Badge as in general the early badges were
smaller than the Blue backed versions of the time and you show this very well with a Pre 1946 version.

Not that you can tell but I have attached below a photo from the Signals Museum of a 1944 Airborne Signals Beret badge which indeed is of a smaller size. Private purchase item.

Would have loved to have put your badge in my collection. If you do ever wish to part with it Steve please let me know.

Very well done

Chris