Small South Wales Borderers, Brass Crossed Swords (Levi, Middle East?) Any Ideas

[Paddy]

Hello All

I have just received the badges pictured below in a small collection of badges I won. The first is an all gilding metal South Wales Borderers, similar to standard cap badge but only 30mm in diameter and fitted with lugs. I have looked in Churchill's book but these badges are listed as unidentified (possible sweetheart but they are usually fitted with brooch pins). The 2nd badge is a pair of crossed swords made in cast brass with 2 lugs to the rear, approx. 37mm tall by 32mm wide. I believe it looks similar to the device in the middle of the Aden Protectorate Levies badge. I will most likely be moving these on if anyone is interested but before I do does anyone know for definite what either of these badges is.

Many thanks

Paddy

[peter monahan]

Second badge is Aden or Somali Levies, I believe. The full version of the Aden Protectorate Levies has a "included crossed jambiyas (double-edged Adeni daggers) under a crescent and star, with the motto "Peace be with you" in Arabic" but this may be a variant.

[Eddie Parks]

The crossed daggers (upside down) is an other ranks cap badge of the Iraq Levies. Officers had a finely worked silver version.

Nice thing and quite scarce.

Eddie

[Eddie Parks]

Originally Posted by peter monahan

Second badge is Aden or Somali Levies, I believe. The full version of the Aden Protectorate Levies has a "included crossed jambiyas (double-edged Adeni daggers) under a crescent and star, with the motto "Peace be with you" in Arabic" but this may be a variant.

The badge Peter is describing is the Federal Regular Army which succeed the APL or perhaps the South Arabian Army which succeed the FRA, both had crossed jambiyas with a crescent and a star above and a three letter abbreviation in Arabic on a scroll below. The SAA has some green enamelling.

The APL has the same badge but with a QC above and APL on the scroll below.

Not sure what Arab unit has Salaam alakum (peace be on you) as a motto. Seems unlikely to me?

[Paddy]

Peter & Eddie

Many thanks for your very quick replies. Now that you have identified it I have found an example on a web site (militarybadgecollection.com) which states it was worn from 1922 to 1955.

Eddie - Do you have any idea of value for the example I have as I will be moving it on as it does not fit in with my collecting interests.

Many thanks again

PS. the badge is the correct way round on my computer but when I uploaded to the forum it spun it through 180 degrees for some reason.

Paddy

[peter monahan]

Originally Posted by Eddie Parks

Not sure what Arab unit has Salaam alakum (peace be on you) as a motto. Seems unlikely to me?

Eddie, I fell into the Wikipedia trap there, and didn't check a second/third source. Now that you mention it 'Peace be Upon You', while pretty ubiqitous in the Arabic speaking world, is an odd pairing with crossed daggers!

[JerryBB]

Originally Posted by Paddy

Hello All

I have just received the badges pictured below in a small collection of badges I won. The first is an all gilding metal South Wales Borderers, similar to standard cap badge but only 30mm in diameter and fitted with lugs. I have looked in Churchill's book but these badges are listed as unidentified (possible sweetheart but they are usually fitted with brooch pins). The 2nd badge is a pair of crossed swords made in cast brass with 2 lugs to the rear, approx. 37mm tall by 32mm wide. I believe it looks similar to the device in the middle of the Aden Protectorate Levies badge. I will most likely be moving these on if anyone is interested but before I do does anyone know for definite what either of these badges is.

Many thanks

Paddy

I have two of the SWB badge, both the same as yours on lugs and not in handed pairs, only ever seen them facing the same way as normal cap badges.

As collars they do not make sense, but I have yet to hear any other suggestions. Perhaps for OR's FS caps but never issued or only for a very short period.

[Paddy]

Jerry

Many thanks for your comment. I have looked around at dealer's websites and there are a couple up for sale with descriptions ranging from collars to OR's cap badge. I actually got 3 of them in the small collection that I bought, all 3 of them face the same way (pictured below). One is currently listed on ebay and I am debating whether to keep one or both of the others. It would be nice if they were identified as OR's FS cap badges.

Paddy

[JerryBB]

I have another of nearly the same size, that is very different though, being very similar in construction to an osd collar badge, which appears to have had its lugs cut off and converted to a button hole lapel badge. I only mention it because of the similarity in size.

I wish I could confirm my theory about them being fs badges.