Congo era 1st Para Battalion badge
 

Hello all,

Looking into getting a Congo crisis period Belgian 1st Paratroopers Battalion beret badge. I have not been able to find many photos of the badge from this era, or at least the reverse, so I am trying to understand what it should look like. From what I have read it seems they should have lugs. I have attached a photo of one, how does it look to you all? If anyone has any photos to share that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Does anyone have any idea? Still can not find any clear answer.

Congo era 1st Para Battalion Badge
 

Hi,

I have one somewhere I will dig it out and post some images.

Thank you, I appreciate that.

Congo era 1st Para Battalion badge
 

Attached the badge I have. I have had it for about 30 years I think but have never been sure what it is. Let me know if is similar to yours apart from the lug positions on the rear.

Cheers

Arnhem

Comes in Brass and White metal, with lugs as you have shown and also thin wire fixings (crap), have both badges and probably with wire fixings also, I have a reference book but can sort them out tomorrow if required?

Never seen that fitment to the rear you have shown, new to me!

All the best billy

I think these where raised in 1957? Where I got that am not sure but go to Belgium regularly and chat to badge collectors and pick up Belgium & French badges while there visiting my brother (Drinking), all the best billy

Belgian badges are normally gold for officers, silver for NCOs and brass for ORs. The ‘winged dagger’ badge was inherited from the Belgian 5 SAS Regiment raised in the UK during WW2 and was worn by the 1st Parachute Battalion of the Para Commando Regiment from WW2 until it was disbanded in about 2010. A cloth Winged Dagger is now worn by the Belgian Special Forces Group on a maroon beret.

The lugs are a sign of older badges, later replaced with fragile bendable prongs. Modern Belgian badges have clutch pins.

1st Parachute Rgt Belgium
 

Here you go White -metal badge first, one on board has wire fixings, by itself with lugs, and the first in the group of four badges.

Three brass badges, first has wire fixings, middle is solid, third on lugs.

From Belgium Badge book, no 36 corresponds to 1st Parachute Rgt.

Colin aware of lugs are earliest, don’t like the flimsy wires fittings, I for some reason thought the Belgian SAS disbanded after the War same as our own but was resurrected as the 1st Parachute Rgt in the 50,s if this a wrong assumption?

Hope this all helps, cheers billy

You are right that the Belgian SAS were disbanded after WW2 but they immediately became 1st Parachute Battalion in 1946, which is why they used the SAS ‘winged dagger’ but in metal, unlike the SAS cloth badge. They also reused the wartime Pegasus and the maroon beret. They continued to wear metal beret badges until 2011, when the battalion was disbanded. The Belgian Special Forces Group then re-adopted the ‘winged dagger’ but again in cloth form, returning to their WW2 SAS roots.

Congo era 1st Para Battalion badge
 

Lots of good information on these badges. Out of interest where does the one I have shown fit into the grand scheme of things. I can see it is an OR's badge but no one has illustrated fixings like the ones that are on the badge I have posted.

Is my one a copy or is it just a diferent configuration of fixings on the rear?

Cheers

Arnhem

Your badge is good, it has Lugs and the other item fits into the Beret, just never seen one like that?

All the best Billy

It looks fine to me - I have a similar one and believe it’s a 1960s issue

Thank you all very much for the help you have given me, more information than I have been able to find elsewhere. This is especially true is the rough time difference between the lugs and wires. I came to learn and learn I have.

-Frank

The original one I posted, how does that look? The lugs seem to be rather poor in comparison to the others. Any thoughts you have are appreciated.