Tank bits
 

Hi, as mentioned elsewhere I had a bit of a tank fest last Friday, so of course lots of queries. Firstly I obtained a collar badge to my sand cast SATC cap badge. Does any one have a date for these badges? Also with it came the exquisite sweethearts badge, I think it is gold, but the query is, the motto "ons is" is repeated on the other side as "we are" does this ever appear on a badge? And thirdly is it possible to date the Pretoria Reg. badge, this one is gold whereas my others are yellow around the shield, thanks in advance Mike

Hi

Given your obvious interest in tank insignia, I'll try to remember to post a photo of a largish pin-back enamel and silverplate badge that I've had for some years.

Have to dig it out first!:confused:

Not being much with languages (struggle with English at times...) but is "ons" possibly "our" in Dutch? We have a place near here called "Ons Dorp" which is, I think, Dutch for "Our Town". Three years of German not entirely wasted, but the German equivalent could be "Unser Dorf".

German/ Dutch/ Afrikaans speaking members please pitch in!:) I've NOT used Google!

Doh...I just had a better look at your second pic and read your description. They've helpfully translated it, haven't they....:rolleyes:

Hi Dumdum, thanks for the comments and look forward to your photos, best wishes Mike

Hi Mike

No worries. I think my curious mind has worked out where I've put it. just to prepare the ground, it looks very much like a metal version of the cloth black/ white tank that you see on formation signs.

Hi Mike
Your collection is growing nicely, well done. The Pretoria "badges" are referred to in SA as "Flashes". They are sometimes different as some appear to have been made in different batches. The ones made in the 70's and 80's are often different to the later versions. I am not a boffin on these at all, it is huge collecting area. There are even new ones being produced by the makers of the originals. When the parade uniform of tunics, smart pants etc was largely abolished in the 80's these "flashes" were converted into slip on pliable plastic versions that attached to your epaulets and these versions were commonly known as "Tupperware flashes".

Brian

I would translate Ons Dorp in Our Village. Thus yes, in Dutch this is about possession.
The name is however a bit strange, because you would normally not call a place with a name like "Your Town", or "Their City".
In this case "Ons Dorp" is chosen because it is spcialy build for disabled people after a famous TV action that raised money from all over the country. Thus everybody here would see it as the village we raised all together.

But the SA ons is is indeed we are, in Dutch wij zijn. The ons here is not about possession.

Hi Brian, thanks for the information, still hoping to find out if the sweetheart badge was ever made as a full size badge, best wishes Mike

Hi Henk, always good to hear from you, interesting background information, hope you are keeping well, best wishes Mike

Hi Mike

I'm sure there were some, various sizes and in various materials, pop up from time to time. Admittedly not as often as they used to.

Brian

You are welcome. All is fine here, I hope the same at your side.
All the best,