RHODESIAN SAS ITEMS – AUTHENTICATION NEEDED.
 

Can any forum members gave me any indication as to whether this SAS Stable Belt Buckle and cloth Beret Badge are Rhodesian and date from pre 1980?
On recent visits to Peter’s rhodesianmilitaria.com web site I have been unable to see images of any items so I haven’t been able to authenticate them from that angle. The belt buckle has no manufacturer’s stamp so could be a 1st issue Reutler example but then again it may be a Australian or NZ SAS example as I’m not sure if they were issued unmarked items. I’ve never seen a cloth beret badge with this style of backing but I have a note from Peter’s site many years ago that there was a variant SAS Para Wing manufactured in 1979 with a white gauze type backing – whether this extended to beret badges and was of a soft loose weave gauze as my example I don’t know.
Thanking you in anticipation for any help with this.
Dean

Were the Rhodesian SAS cap badge and stable belt different to British SAS ones? or even NZ SAS come to that? I've no idea

Yes.

I've sent the beret photos to him and see what he says. He's not a fan of the forum so he might not reply. It depends on his mood. :)
I can let you know the buckle is Rhodesian SAS and there were two stable belt issues both with the same buckles. Peter is writing a book so he's not interested in posting photos anymore.
His site is no longer his. He stopped using the site but never kept the domain name and someone else grabbed an old version of it. That's why they haven't got his photos.
I'm helping him with some parts of his book so I have access to some photos. It looks like the material on the back of the SAS badge and the SAS para wing looks similar but I'm not an expert. I can ask him and see what he says.

Dean, he says the SAS badge is Rhodesian and pre-1980.

Many thanks Akiko for all your efforts and the update re Peter's site. It is good to know that the badge at least is the genuine article. Would I be pushing my luck to try and get more information on the Buckle?

It's a standard Rhodesian SAS buckle. It was used on the first and second issue stable belts. Peter had both types in his collection.
If you send me a DM I'll give you an email address for him because obviously, he can give you more information.

Thanks, what are the differences?

I don't know. I only know there are differences because I'm helping with the book. You'd have to ask someone like Peter or possibly someone on this forum who knows.

From various sites :

1st issue unmarked

2nd issued marked 'Reuteler Mfg, Salisbury’

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