RNF officer or OR?
 

I have had this badge for some time now and included it with my ORs collection, but could this be and officer badge? It is not gilt and the overlay does not appear to be silver however. It is lugged, where I would expect a slider for ORs. Were there two versions of the flame design for badges of this period?

CB

Not sure re. OR's or officer's, but could be a collar dog rather than a cap badge.

Thanks Leigh, but it is not a collar dog. They were usually sideways except for OSD.

CB

Wasn't the officer's cap badge to this Regiment slidered???
Tony.

I have these two badges, the one retaining both lugs retains its gilded finish other than on highlights of the flames (and appears to be "the same" as yours, the other's lost most of it.

Some, here's a slidered one.

CB,

Sorry to intrude on your thread but I have posted these before, but no reply, and hope that they could be useful as comparisons and possibly opinions on originality.

Regards

Kevin

Hmmm. It would seem a little mystery is at work here with no satisfactory explanation as of yet.
The number of variations in flame style, fixings, collar and cap, is very strange for a badge that was only in use for thirty seven years.
I have to wonder if there is any significance regarding the flame styles. There seems to be three types; an early spread fan style, a slightly smaller three pointed style, and a three point style with the top blowing to the side.
CB

I'm inclined towards these badges being OR's collar badges rather than officer's insignia, but Who knows (so far)?
It'd be interesting to see a badge of matching quality and finish but with St George facing to the right as viewed to indicate that these badges are collars.

I haven't seen a RNF cap badge with fan shaped flames rather than triangular, only NF ones.
The flames on the various NF / RNF insignia have varied greatly over time.
The flames on the badge with missing lug that I own have been bent out of shape.

I think the second is ok, the first I'm not sure about but I hate saying yea or nay from photos.
Someone should come up with firmer opinion.

CB and Leigh,

To throw more confusion into the pot, a better image, at angle, of the first badge..............:confused:

Kevin

Just reread this post, my mistake, I thought you were referring to officers collar badges not being of this pattern but you meant that this upright "cap badge design" wasn't worn by officers or ORs as a collar badge?

There was an ORs bimetal pattern of this type, worn during the 1950s - 60s.

So was there are anodized RNF badge, or did they continue to wear the old bi-metal ones up to regiment's demise? I have seen a RNF badge with slider that did have the old fan shaped flames.

CB

Without checking, I think "The Fifth Fusiliers And Its Badges" by D. Wood says worn from a date in the 50s until 1963 in bimetal, and that AA were made but probably not issued to the TA.
I may be imagining that "History of the British Army Infantry Collar Badge" by C. Churchill says that the AA were only produced with St George facing the viewers left, I may have confused that with Mess Waiters collar badges or something.

I'll dig out Wood and Churchill for references to the bimetal and AA collars.

The RNF with fan shaped flames is beginning to ring distant bells I cant remember it being mentioned or shown in K&K, Gaylor, Wood etc but perhaps I saw it in an old "Crown Imperial".

RNF anodised cap badge with J.R.GAUNT LONDON slider so made in 1960s and probably for the Army Cadet Force.

Tim