OSD Badges
 

What was the period of use for these Badges. I have noted that some of the Corps & Royal Artillery have these with the QC. My particular interest is whether or not QC officers badges exist for the the East Lancs, Border Regt and Loyals.

OSD badges EIIR
 

I do have a very nice R.A. bronze with the EIIR crown and I have two others, one to the Royal Fusiliers ? and one that I definitely do not like, nor trust, if it comes to it and that is a Royal Hampshires.
I have absolutely no confidence in the latter, it's die-struck and looks like it may have been a present in a christmas cracker, can any-one offer any validity about this one ???
Dave.

The Hamps museum in Winchster sells these thin die struck ones with both q/c and k/c. They have a website shop.

Alan

During my researches at the PRO I have found that OSD badges were obsoleted by AO 54/1947 . Thus in theory they officially ceased to be worn in 1947.

I found this reference while looking through WO32/12077 which is a file concerning the Royal Ulster Rifles.

I have not read AO 54/1947 to understand the extent of the order (and thus any exceptions) and would not be suprised if some regiments continued their use.

What was the period of use for these Badges.

The simple answer is 1902-1947, though as John says, it dribbled on a bit, certainly to 1950.

Possibly later ,for some...... Royal Artillery QC . Maybe a special case here !;)
OOP's ...should have looked at top of the thread ,first!!! :(
Appologies & please ignore this post !
Cheers !
Steve

Thanks for info. is it logical to presume therefore that officers sp/gilt/enamel badges are post 1947 or were these for full dress use.

John,

This AO may have jsut been the RUR and certainly did not apply to many regts and some wear OSD today - the RA Offrs for example wear it in their Brown SD hats.

The RHants wore OSD badges upto their amalgamtion - indeed the 1st bn Officers wore the Q/C OSD badge in their beret because the embroidered version (especially after some wear) was always being mistaken for the RCT cap badge!

Alan

Cheers Alan, I'm putting this R.Hants back with my others, hoping of course, that it's a 'good un' !!!
Dave.

Alan

thanks you for your comments, and quite right you are on the fact that some rgts continues to wear OSD badges. I have not had a chance to read this AO - I wonder Julian have you checked this one out yet to understand the extent of it?

John

Ao 54/1947
 

Here is AO 54/1947. As you see (I hope it's legible, I just reduced the size), it's really about the abolition of SD, the only thing it has on badges is that officers now wear their peaked cap badge for all occasions ?!

I can tell you that an officer in the King's told me that they wore their osd bronze collars in their berets (I have the very badge). This was obviously "unofficial" but I'm not sure which period he was talking about; he was in the regt from 1938 to ??1950 - I presume post war. What I do know (for the King's) is that there was no post 1950 pattern osd bronze, nor (as far as I know) any bullion beret badge worn.
Julian

Julian,

Any idea when Service dress was brought back into use? It is still going today although a revised one-Army pattern is in the offing.

Alan

Not really. The problem is that I haven't found any index to AOs (or ACIs) - let alone digitally searchable ones ! Otherwise I'm generally relying on years that I know about (and thanks to John for tipping me off about this one). Once known, they (AO & ACI) are all available at Kew.

I have to admit, my interest (in badges, uniforms etc) wanes after 1958 (I am an ancient historian after all !) . There must be people here who are knowleadgable on more recent things.