Interesting badge
 

Hi all,

I am sending this badge for interest and possably some help from ex-RN/SAN members that might be on this form. As far as I know there are on 2 of these badges in collections (please correct me if i'm wrong). It has the wreath similar to the british WO2 badge but with the Lion of Nassau in the centre. The Lion was accepted as the badge for the SA Navy in the late 50's so I think this was a SA Navy WO2 badge before 1961 when the old S.A. coat of arms (used to be WO1) was accepted as the WO2 badge and a wreath put around it for WO1. Any comments or more details will be greatfully accepted.

Seadog

Alex Rice might have more info on this badge.

Nice little town you come from:D My dad lives there!

Brian

Hi Neville

Interesting badge you have there. It certainly looks as though it may have been a WO's badge, but when? AFAIK, the SAN adopted the army ranks of WO1 and WO2 when it took over the ex-Marines in 1955. At that time, the coat of arms was the WO1 badge and the crown the WO2 badge. From 1957, the WO1 wore the wreathed coat of arms and the WO2 the plain coat of arms.

If only two specimens of this lion badge are known, might they perhaps be protoypes which were not actually introduced? And possibly intended for the army and air force - didn't the navy wear embroidered rank badges?

Hi All
These were definitely worn, though I'm not sure of the dates, probably around 1951 - 55. I'll try to get some more info. There are also more than 2 around, though they are scarce.
They were made in gilding metal, red embroiderery and gold wire embroidery.
Cheers,
Alex

Hi Neville, I have 1 of the metal and 1 of the cloth badges in my collection. Regards Andrew