Unusual Gurkha Engineers badge
 

I came across this Gurkha Engineers badge some time ago - I've shown it next to an officers silver cap badge for comparison in size and to show the differences in design. You can see its quite a bit larger than the normal badge but the design is also different being more elongated and with a larger grenade affixed between the blades. It's a finely cast badge - I was wondering whether it was an early prototype badge that was never adopted ?

Nice badge. I wonder if it was cast for the band to wear possibly ??
I would look nice in my collection.......:D
engr9266
Jerry

Pretty sure they never had a band :)

Could it be related to the crossbelt ?

I don’t think so Mike - but happy to be corrected

Although they didn't have a band, they had their own pipers from when formed. I believe this is the first pattern Baldrick badge.
Would look nicer in mine Jerry

Steve

I think ive found it. Problem is i cant read the label. Says" 1953 Malayan ..........." .
Badge is on the Gurkha card from the Charles Thomas collection.
https://www.olympiaauctions.com/sale.../view-lot/169/
The baldrick badge is the same design but i think the example shown is smaller.

That does seem to be the one, it looks to be a nice quality badge.

Jack

Can you read what the label says on the link says Jack ?

The other word is manufacturer.

Professor Charles Thomas had a very nice and expansive collection, however, some of his descriptions were a bit wayward so some caution is needed relying on them alone.

I’m minded of his rubbing of a rare ‘trial pattern Collingwood RND’ which was in fact a Melbourne Militia collar badge.

I read the date as 1955.


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Thanks everyone for their answers - I thought it might be of Malaysian manufacture. I thought I'd add some early Gurkha Engineer cloth items to the post. The two red cloth titles bearing the "unofficial" title Royal Engineers Gurkha date I think to the earliest cadres being formed in 1948 - the slip on title Gurkha RE was also an unofficial title used in 1954. They all predate the 1955 Gurkha Engineers becoming an established separate Corps within the brigade of Gurkhas.

gurkha
 

Just to confirm note on that badge reads ' 1955 Malayan manufacture '

Mark

Sort of related to this. I cant vouch for the validity of the statement.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134028359...eafa%7Ciid%3A1