Light Infantry Tactical Badge - Belfast 1988

[Unknownsoldier]

Just received two berets (Same owner) and one came with this really nice Brass slidered LI badge in black. According to the seller/owner it was worn in Northern Ireland in 1989.

Any other info from the guys in the know?

[New Collector]

Hi Tom

One of the lads may have picked it up from somewhere and worn it - so never say never.

But that would have been my battalion in West Belfast - 2LI - and I have never seen a badge like that before. We wore blackened a/a or a nasty black plastic thing sold in the PRI.

[Unknownsoldier]

Guys name I think is Bryant? I'm waiting on more information as we speak.

Tom

[Unknownsoldier]

Just checked the message and it says NI 1988, so possibly not Belfast, think that was when I was doing some digging around the LI.

[New Collector]

1LI were in Omagh in 1988

[oc14]

Originally Posted by New Collector

Hi Tom

One of the lads may have picked it up from somewhere and worn it - so never say never.

But that would have been my battalion in West Belfast - 2LI - and I have never seen a badge like that before. We wore blackened a/a or a nasty black plastic thing sold in the PRI.

Tend to agree with you there - a totally unofficial private pick up badge. Loads of the lads used to wear metal badges that were privately purchased, never saw an issued metal one until the "improved metal" ones that were issued shortly before the formation of the Rifles. Flip side of that is that I've also seen plenty of officers wearing anodised badges on the beret and even seen bullion embroidered beret badges worn (by Cadet force officers). Looking at the berets, I don't think that the berets with the fabric band were still being issued when the Rifles were formed - i'd guess that some-one has added a Rifles badge to an earlier (1980s vintage) beret
PL

[Unknownsoldier]

I was told the badge was added, as he only wore it for a short while, guessing he just had an existing beret that fitted and swapped the badge over upon them changing.

Tom

[Unknownsoldier]

Just received this:


Joined the ,1st Bn the Light Infantry in 1969, 1988 in Northern Ireland, left the Army in 1991 as RSM. Joined the School 1991 as SSI to run the CCF and will retire Mar, 2017.

[New Collector]

1LI left Northern Ireland in Jan 89.