RTR arm badge 'brown gun'

[rac1944]

The tank arm badge in the attached images was issued to a friend's father in 1942 in England. It's the first time I've come across an arm badge with a brown gun, it's not so obvious in the flat view but in the angled view you can make out the colour difference quite well.

Does anyone know the background to a brown gun, is it far more common than I imagine?
John

[leigh kitchen]

Black thread can "bleach out" to brown, but the badge is in good condition with black detail rather than brown, so it looks like brown's the original colour.

[fearnaught]

Hi John, Italian made insignia were renowned for black fading to brown, but being 1942 that is ruled out. A view of the back may give a better clue, Mike

[rac1944]

Thanks Mike, Leigh,
I’ll try to get a photo of the back on my next visit to my friend & update this thread. His father was transferred to the Royals in 1943 and did serve in Italy and I thought perhaps he picked this up as some form of souvenir but then surely the outer black thread would have faded brown as well?
John

[rac1944]

Attached are a couple of photos of the reverse of this badge, it is difficult to see but there is a difference in the gun thread colour to the tank outline, not as marked as on the front but still not the same deep black. Puzzled.
John

[Bill A]

To go on a different tack, I have not come across anything indicating some significance to different embroidery colours.

[rac1944]

Thanks, that's a very good point.
John