45th Cavalry WW2 question
 

I have come across a statement to the effect that the usual 45th Cavalry badge often encountered on dealers' websites (45 between an arch and scroll) was approved (and obviously manufactured) but never worn. Is this definitely the case? If so, is it safe to assume the regiment would have worn the Indian Armoured Corps badge on the beret? Thanks for any information.

In Ashok Nath's definitive book on the insignia of the Indian Cavalry regiments (Izzat) - he says this of the white metal badge featuring the numeral 45 with a scroll above inscribed "Indian Armoured Corps" and below another scroll inscribed "Cavalry". "Although attributed to the period 1941-1946 it is not known for certain if this badge was actually worn" - Suffice to say if Ashok doesn't know then nobody does ! As a footnote to this, when the Regiment was re-raised for a third time in 1965 the regiment almost "reverted" to wearing that particular badge. Ashok presented an example of the badge to "Capt Ashok Sharma, a former officer of the Regt, who in turn passed it on to Col R S Nehra, the commandant. After some deliberation, the latter obtained Army HQ's approval to re-introduce the old badge, a die was made and all set for the change. However at the last moment the idea was dropped" - I wonder if some of the badges that appear on dealers web sites come from this later die?

Thank you for your comprehensive response -- very informative. And yes, it makes you wonder if those 45th badges are actually products of the 1965 project rather than WW2.

So the question still remains as to which badge the 45th wore in WW2. I wonder if there are any photos of the unit out there?

According to Izzat the Regt when raised for the second time in WW2 - wore the same badge that it had worn in WW1 ( 45 in Roman Numerals above a scroll with "CAVALRY" on it ) - at least initially then they may or may not have changed to the badge in question - The only way we'll ever know for sure if the second pattern was worn is if some photos of the Regiment turn up showing the badge being worn .

Thank you for the extra information. Photographic evidence is the key, for sure. I went looking through my copies of the French Militaria magazine, and found a photo of members of the 6th DCO Lancers in Italy in 1944-45. To my surprise they were wearing the old Royal Armoured Corps badge (pre-1941 pattern) in their berets instead of the regimental badge.