North Durban Regiment Cap Buttons Question.
 

I have this cap, is the cap badge correct for it please?

Instead of chinstrap buttons it is fitted with small round, flat metal plates which have blades which pierce the fabric and fold back to clamp them in place.
Are these metal plates the backs of damaged proper army "buttons" or are they just some incorrect paper clip type fittings that have been attached by a collector or dealer please?

Leigh

Its title is just "Durban Regiment".

To be honest I'm not sure if the cap is correct but maybe for mess dress purposes. I will do some digging.

Those "buttons" are actually paper clip holders for cardboard files.

Brian

Thanks, I don't know why I added the "North".
I wondered if the chinstrap "studs" were some form of paperclip but wasn't sure.
The only images I've seen of the Durban Regiment's caps have been of what the British would term "OSD", green ones, not coloured "Forage Caps".

I've seen images of this badge design with the metals reversed, the eagle in yellow metal, remainder in white metal, what's the significance please?

A couple of posts from a Durban Regiment blog/forum :

And from a South African "bid or buy" site :


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Thanks for that.

Leigh,
I have two buttons (studs), with similar pronged attachments, along with the twisted gold bullion chinstrap that fitted to a cap. The buttons (studs) were for the Argentinian Army, I think. I'm unable to photograph these as they are packed somewhere pending a house move.
George

Thanks, a quick and convenient way to fix cap buttons, I think the only similar method of attachment (wire prongs) I've seen used on British cap buttons is on a Royal Dragoon Guards forage cap I have.

My knowledge of these things is limited but I think the cap is a made up item. When the regiment was formed, berets were mostly used and the army caps were khaki with a khaki peak or brown leather peak. That cap definitely looks like it has some age but I would say it pre-dates the regiment.
Cheers,
Alex

I'm thinking it's perhaps of 1960's manufacture, I don't know which unit / units would've worn what in British usage would be a "Royal Regiment" cap other than the lack of red piping to the crown.

Found a group photo of the Durban Regiment intake in 1962 taken at 1SSB Training Regiment Bloemfontein.

https://www.fad.co.za/wp-content/upl...anRegt0011.jpg

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Thanks a springbok head cap badge by the look of it?

Great photo, thanks. Those are the caps I was describing, khaki with a khaki cloth covered peak.
Cheers,
Alex